As we head into adaptive racing season, British Rowing’s Safety Advisor Stephen Worley has included a very helpful “Rescuing Adaptive Rowers at Competitions” in his monthly safety report:
Events for rowers who need adaptations are being increasingly integrated into “normal” rowing competitions. This is a wonderful development. There has been some concern about Competitions having boats available that can be used to rescue rowers who use adaptations, should they need it. Many of these rowers are as capable of self-rescue as any able-bodied rower but some may sometimes need help.
The advice that I have received includes the following: – “Safety – a bit of extra thought and preparation!
- The purpose of any Competition is to provide safe, fair and competitive racing with safety the ultimate priority.
- Organisers often make mistaken assumptions about the physical capabilities of adaptive rowers. “Adaptive” can, but does not necessarily, mean a “wheelchair user”. Innovative solutions to safety and other issues will have been identified by the athletes and their clubs.
- Many adaptive athletes do not require any safety measures above those defined in a mainstream event safety plan,
- It must be assumed that the safety plan may have to be amended to allow for the special needs of some adaptive entries. It is essential that every competitor with such requirements has a clear Recovery Plan following capsize and or injury.
- Clubs entering will have risk assessed and have pre-defined protocols for each athlete with special recovery requirements. These will form a useful basis to produce the individual event recovery plan.
- The suitability of safety boat provision and the experience/training of those manning them needs to be assessed and deemed fully capable of implementing any special recovery plan.
- All officials and safety personnel must be made aware when a person with a non-standard recovery protocol is on the water (and off). Keeping the number of adaptive rowers on the water at the same time low is advised.
- Early discussion between the Competition Rowing Safety Adviser and competitor and coach prior to the event is essential. A formal safety meeting may be needed.
- Competitions should be aware that safety or other considerations (e.g. steering a VI sculler) may require one or more launches to follow a race.
- The best persons to seek advice from are adaptive clubs and those clubs that have run successful adaptive Competitions.
- Experience has shown planning is everything and usually is not that complicated or onerous.
- It is important to share all relevant safety details with those entered. The athlete and club can then risk assess and determine that the arrangements meet the basic safety needs of that individual.”
Excellent article. In a recent event I witnessed a situation in between organisers, or maybe umpires where an Adaptive sculler needed to spin his boat at the end of a course to start his Head race. The athlete seemed confused when he received instruction at the same time by two different individuals from two different areas of the river., at some point the athlete asked “who do i have to listen to because i cant move with two people shouting at me at the same time”.
The advise was to avoid passing an area of potential danger. The athlete had an invisible disability but officials, organisers and umpires should have been aware of this looking at his number and the time of his race.
The above seems like a common practice for some events but it can generate high levels of stress and not effective help for the Adaptive athlete having an impact in their performance and more importantly, their safety.
Many great points. I really like points 2,3,8&12. I respond to a few points as follows:
“Keeping the number of adaptive rowers on the water at the same time low is advised”
** with sufficient launches and personnel on the water, where such would be required for non self-rescuing adaptive rowers, or those who may need extra intervention/support in any incident, I don’t feel numbers need to be reduced, otherwise those with disabilities are again being treated less-inclusively, and the first point of ‘fair’ racing fails to be met. I feel that the focus needs to be on inclusivity with ease and confidence, through great dialogue, with the adaptive rower(s) and their knowledge/awareness of self and their differences and sameness central to this, rather than the often-present and fuelling, yet subconscious, fears from the non-adaptive/non-disability community, which is so often based on ignorance/inexperience/a sense of superiority from those “able-bodied” in knowing/believing they know ‘what’s best’ for those with disabilities, yet such based on assumptions rather than open, inclusive, respectful conversations.
“ The suitability of safety boat provision and the experience/training of those manning them needs to be assessed and deemed fully capable of implementing any special recovery plan.”
** wording amended to ‘staffing’ or ‘operating’ or ‘driving’ may sound less sexist imo.
“The best persons to seek advice from are adaptive clubs and those clubs that have run successful adaptive Competitions.”
** please add ‘adaptive rowers and any carers’ before ‘adaptive clubs’. We live 24:7:365 with our conditions, abilities, awareness, including of what works well/best, and by using each individual’s knowledge of themselves, including how they’ve adapted to and overcome many challenges, including away from rowing, is the best starting place to add safe rowing and race requirements into the planning imo.
Many thanks.
I agree with all your points, particularly that the adaptive athletes in most cases know what is needed for there safety, ask you will not offend.
Chris Boys