March 22, 2021
Governor Steve Sisolak
steve@stevesisolak.com & info@stevesisolak.com
Director Caleb Cage, Nevada COVID-19 Task Force
ccage@gov.nv.gov
SUBJ: RETURN WATER POLO TO NEVADA POOLS
Dear Governor Sisolak and Director Cage,
We are writing to formally request that the State of Nevada reclassify current COVID-19 restrictions regarding participation in water polo in the state of Nevada. Our view, based on scientific data, is that water polo has been inaccurately classified as a "high risk of transmission" sport. In fact, since water polo is played in a highly chlorinated environment (which kills the COVID-19 virus), when combined with proper on-deck protocols, water polo is safe and represents an extremely low risk of transmission. Unfortunately, Nevada has simply lumped water polo into the HIGH RISK contact sport category without any additional consideration regarding the environment in which it is played. Evidence from other states and abroad demonstrates that
COVID-19 is highly unlikely to be transmitted during games or practices. This misclassification of Water Polo threatens the opportunity for our athletes to participate in their sport of choice.
Please note that The National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Sports Medicine Advisory Committee classifies Water Polo as a "Moderate-Risk" sport.
- Experiences in Other High Risk States. High school seasons were played in Connecticut, Pennsylvania, and Texas, mostly in smaller indoor pools. Nationwide, tens of thousands of athletes have played water polo across all age divisions without a single reported transmission. As a result, Illinois and Ohio will permit water polo for spring indoor seasons. Utah water polo is not recognized by the high school association, yet they have been permitted to run their club-based high school and middle school seasons. California high school and club athletes have benefited greatly from being afforded the opportunity to participate in full water polo leagues and competitions. Florida is now running its water polo season, which culminates in Regional Semi-Finals, and a state-wide tournament at the end of March. The Florida High School Sports Association developed "Sport Contest Specific Considerations" for a variety of sports; the Water Polo section provides modifications for out-of-pool issues only, leaving all in-water activity unchanged (https://fhsaa.com/documents/2021/1/6//SMAC_COVID_19_Spring_Safety_Considerations.pdf?id=916).
As previously mentioned, the NFHS classifies Water Polo as a Moderate-Risk Sport (https://www.nfhs.org/media/3812287/2020-nfhs-guidance-for-opening-up-high-school-athletics-and-activities-nfhs-smac-may-15_2020-final.pdf).
- International Scientific Studies. Italy was hardest hit by COVID's initial impact. Its oldest technical university, Polytechnic Institute of Turin, issued a 400-page study of 387 sports (https://figest.it/wp-content/uploads/2020/04/Rapporto-LO-SPORT-RIPARTE-IN-SICUREZZA.pdf). Water polo was the safest team sport. Similarly, the Spanish Swimming Federation issued a technical paper arguing, "A well-maintained swimming pool is sanitary safe" from COVID-19. The Dutch University Medical center of Ultrecht provided evidence that chlorine inactivated COVID-19. Swimming Canada tracked in total 282,000 individual swim training sessions without a single reported pool transmission and the New Jersey Swim Safety Alliance reported 44 indoor facilities serving 212,641 patrons in indoor pools with zero infections in these facilities (https://swimswam.com/updated-info-whats-known-about-chlorines-impact-on-coronavirus/).
- CDC Guidance. "There is no evidence that COVID-19 can be spread to humans through the use of swimming pools…or aquatic play areas."
- WHO Guidance. "There is limited risk of significant microbial contamination and illness in a well-managed pool or similar environment with an adequate residual disinfectant concentration."
- Chlorine Gas. The effect of chlorine is not limited to the water. Droplets and gas disinfect the surface of the water column, according to the British Sports Medicine Journal and National Institute of Health.
- Travel Tournaments. Indoor youth tournaments in Utah and Texas have hosted more than five thousand athletes this winter with no reported transmissions. Nevada athletes have taken part in these tournaments, with no COVID-19 transmission.
- Studies show that treated pools sanitize the air and environment above the water's surface. The chlorine-by-products we smell in air above pool water may not be great for humans, but these chlorine-by-products disinfect COVID-19. When swimming or playing Water Polo, faces are often submerged, and athletes experience significant rinsing of the mouth and nose, as well as dilution of saliva (think gargling with chlorinated water) while in the pool. Thus, droplets expelled through aquatic activities involve large, inactivated droplets. Please consider the two links below, one an assessment of air and water contamination by disinfection by-products, and one an analysis by a coach and Chemical Engineer:
Other states and countries have concluded that youth sport games are uncorrelated to COVID hospitalizations.
The risks are outside the water. Nevada has allowed some high risk sports to resume competition with additional measures, unfortunately water polo is not offered to student athletes through the NIAA, so those students are restricted from participating – but we are willing to put any and all restrictions into place to ensure the safety of our members. Furthermore, the facilities with which we operate are already governed by city and state rules and regulations; we cannot circumvent these rules as our sport can only be played at regulated facilities.
Governor Sisolak and Director Cage, if you open the sport, operational risks will be mitigated, the looming destruction Nevada's aquatic ecosystem can be avoided, and our mentally exhausted, isolated athletes will return to thrive in home waters.
We look forward to working with you to create a safe environment so that our athletes can participate in our great sport.
Sincerely,
Christopher Ramsey
Chief Executive Officer of USA Water Polo
cc: Terry Reynolds, State of Nevada Director of Business and Industry
treynolds@business.nv.gov
Nevada COVID-19 Task Force
pressroom@nvhealthresponse.nv.gov
