Update from November 26 2021. Ensuring the continuity of safe sports training while respecting the stricter regime in the fight
against the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus.

Due to the tightened measures taken by the Government of the Slovak Republic in solving the complicated situation of the coronavirus pandemic COVID-19, our effort has been to initiate together with the Slovak Olympic and Sports Committee and representatives of individual sports associations, finding solutions to problems in ensuring the training of
professional athletes and providing the opportunity to train in a hermetically sealed training center.

Olympic Training Center in Šamorín as unique training conditions for several Olympic sports. This joint initiative resulted in an elaborated proposal for the solution of problems with the training of athletes in the case of general measures and restrictions within the services of accommodation and catering facilities, as well as restrictions on access to sports grounds.

Information about the current mode can be found in the operating mode section

Stricter conditions for entering a safe and controlled zone to ensure the continuity of safe sports training

In spite of compliance with all epidemiological measures against the spread of the pandemic in connection with the COVID-19 disease at the Quarantine Center for top athletes in Šamorín, people were infected inside a safe and controlled area for accommodation, catering and sports training while respecting special safety and hygiene measures.

Those interested in joining a ” quarantine bubble” had to provide a negative result of an antigen test not older than 72 hours within the controlled entry, and then they had to undergo PCR testing. Until the results were evaluated, they had to stay in isolation in a separated part of the centre within the quarantine pavilion. They switched to the normal mode of operation of the hermetically sealed Quarantine Center only after receiving the negative test result.

Following all guidelines of the competent authorities, the infection was most likely transmitted to the Quarantine Center by people entering the center after the infection, as the infection occurred in 3 people who overcame COVID-19 and it was less than 90 days after the end of their diseases. For these individuals, an antigen entry test was performed according to current legislation, not an RT-PCR test, which may show false positivity in individuals after infection. At the same time, these people were required to provide proof of termination of the COVID-19 disease issued by their general practitioner as well as a 90-day period defined by controlled legislation had to be monitored.

Immediately after finding out about the symptoms of the people inside the Quarantine Center for top athletes, all clients of the center were isolated and subsequently tested by PCR tests with results with an interval of 5 hours on a given day. These revealed several cases of positivity for the COVID-19 virus and therefore all, even negatively tested clients moved directly from the room isolation according to the guidelines of the Regional Public Health Office to the domestic quarantine until retesting on day 5 which is necessary in case of contact with a positively tested person. Even the negatively tested had the obligation to monitor their state of health and in the event of the onset of symptoms to contact the attending physician and the relevant Regional Public Health Office without delay.

The Quarantine Center for top athletes offered negatively tested people the opportunity to complete the mandatory 5-day quarantine in separate isolated rooms within the resort with the provision of all-day board and rt-PCR testing after the mandatory quarantine period.

We also offered positively tested people the opportunity to undergo mandatory quarantine in separate isolated rooms in the adjacent accommodation pavilion with the provision of all-day meals for the necessary mandatory quarantine.

To ensure the continuity of safe sports training, respecting the stricter regime in connection with the fight against the spread of coronavirus COVID-19, all common areas, sports grounds and operations of the Quarantine Center for top athletes were immediately disinfected based on the set approach to hygienic-epidemiological regime with appropriate type / concentration and the relevant exposure time of the disinfectants. In addition, the time period will be increased to at least 72 hours, when the rooms will not be re-occupied after their disinfection and ozone cleaning.

To keep it running, the Quarantine Center for top athletes in Šamorín also responded to the situation by tightening the conditions for entry into the safe and controlled zone and making it subject to further guidance by RT-PCR testing of all clients regardless of past COVID-19 within 90 days.

Establishment of a Quarantine Center for top athletes

Ensuring the continuity of safe sports training while respecting the stricter regime in the fight against the spread of COVID-19 coronavirus.

Due to the tightened measures taken by the Government of the Slovak Republic in solving the complicated situation of the coronavirus pandemic COVID-19, our effort has been to initiate together with the Slovak Olympic and Sports Committee (hereinafter “SOSC”) ) and representatives of individual sports associations, finding solutions to problems in ensuring the training of top athletes and providing the opportunity to train in a hermetically sealed training center.

We are all concerned about the complicated situation of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic and COVID-19. In recent months, this has not only caused a mass disruption to sports competitions, including the postponement of the Olympic Games, but has also complicated the preparation of Slovak athletes for qualifying events or directly for the Olympic Games.

Therefore, in an effort to help primarily those sports federations whose representatives have already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics or are preparing for qualifying competitions, the Slovak Olympic and Sports Committee has already entered into negotiations with the x-bionic® Olympic Training Center in the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic. x-bionic® sphere Olympic Training Center in Šamorín (hereinafter also “OTC”) has unique training conditions for several Olympic sports. This joint initiative resulted in an elaborated proposal for the solution of problems with the training of athletes in the case of general measures and restrictions within the services of accommodation and catering facilities, as well as restrictions on access to sports grounds.

Thanks to this joint initiative, a Quarantine Center for top athletes will be established in Šamorín from 19 November 2020 in order to help Slovak sport and ensure the continuity of sports training. The statute of the Quarantine Center for top athletes was supported by the State Secretary of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Slovak Republic, Ivan Husár, as well as the Government Plenipotentiary for Youth and Sport, Karol Kučera, and was approved by the Central Crisis Team, respecting the stricter regime in connection with the fight against the spread of the coronavirus COVID-19.

A safe and controlled zone for accommodation, meals and sports training will be created in the area, respecting extraordinary safety and hygiene measures. The measure also includes a quarantine accommodation pavilion, controlled and limited access to sports grounds. Everyone who moves in the hermetically sealed area of ​​the Olympic Training Center is required to undergo an RT-PCR test for COVID-19.

The regime of operation of the Quarantine center for top athletes is based on valid decisions, regime measures and guidelines so that it is in line with the main mission of public health, which is the protection and promotion of public health.

The requirement to establish a Quarantine center for top athletes resulted from the context of repeated requests from sports associations and athletes, many of whom are still fighting for Olympic placement, and this period is crucial to ensure quality and undisturbed training.

Initiative to create an isolated Olympic training center regime with stricter security measures for all accommodation and catering facilities and sports grounds

Due to the tightened measures taken by the Government of the Slovak Republic in solving the complicated situation of the coronavirus pandemic COVID-19, our effort has been to initiate together with the Slovak Olympic and Sports Committee (hereinafter “SOSC”) and representatives of individual sports associations, finding solutions to problems in ensuring the training of top athletes and providing the opportunity to train in a hermetically sealed training center.

We are all concerned about the complicated situation of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus pandemic and COVID-19 disease. In recent months, this has not only caused mass disruption of sports competitions, including the postponement of the Olympic Games, but has also complicated the preparation of Slovak athletes for qualifying events or directly for the Olympic Games.

Therefore, in an effort to help primarily those sports federations whose representatives have already qualified for the Tokyo Olympics or are preparing for qualifying competitions, the Slovak Olympic and Sports Committee has already entered into negotiations with the x-bionic® Olympic Training Center in the first wave of the coronavirus pandemic. x-bionic® sphere Olympic Training Center in Šamorín (hereinafter also “OTC”) has unique training conditions for several Olympic sports. This joint initiative resulted in an elaborated proposal for the solution of problems with the training of athletes in the case of general measures and restrictions within the services of accommodation and catering facilities, as well as restrictions on access to sports grounds.

The proposed solution is based on and copies valid decisions, regime measures and guidelines in the period of comprehensive measures so that it is in line with the main mission of public health, which is the protection and promotion of public health.

The premises of the Olympic Training Center in Šamorín are, on the basis of a joint initiative of the “SOSC”, ready to ensure the continuity of safe sports training for the elite representatives of the Slovak Republic. In the area, it is possible to create a safe and controlled zone for accommodation, meals and sports training, respecting extraordinary safety and hygiene measures. The measure also includes a quarantine accommodation pavilion, controlled and limited access to sports grounds. Everyone who moves in the hermetically sealed area of ​​the Olympic Training Center would have to undergo a rt-PCR test.

The requirement to set up a quarantine Olympic Training Center stemmed from the context of repeated demands from sports federations and athletes, many of whom are still fighting for Olympic places, and this period is key to ensuring quality and undisturbed training.

The interest in creating and using a safe and controlled zone for sports training was confirmed by 41 sports associations:

• Slovak Athletic Association
• Slovak Football Association
• Slovak Golf Federation
• Slovak Triathlon Union
• Slovak canoeing
• Slovak Taekwondo Association WT
• Slovak Cycling Association
• Slovak Swimming Federation
• Slovak Association of Orienteering Sports
• Slovak Karate Association
• Slovak Basketball Association
• Slovak Dance Sports Association
• Slovak Boccia Association
• Slovak Equestrian Federation
• Slovak Mountaineering Association James
• Slovak Badminton Association
• Slovak National Aeroclub Gen. M.R. Štefánik
• Slovak Baseball Federation
• Slovak Softball Association
• Slovak Frisbee Association
• Slovak Handball Association
• Slovak Kickboxing Association
• Slovak Gymnastics Federation
• Slovak Union of Modern Pentathlon
• Slovak Figure Skating Association
• Slovak Weightlifting Association
• Slovak Fencing Association
• Slovak Korfball Association
• Slovak Biathlon Association
• Slovak Association of Toboggans
• Slovak Yachting Association
• Slovak Speed ​​Skating Association
• Slovak Rowing Association
• Slovak Bobsled Association
• Slovak Association of Fitness Bodybuilding and Powerlifting
• Slovak Volleyball Federation
• Slovak Judo Association
• Slovak Bowling Association
• Slovak Motorcycle Federation
• Slovak Association of Water Skiing and Wakeboarding
• Slovak Lacrosse Federation

The Olympic Training Center and the “SOSC” asked the State Secretary for Sports of the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports of the Slovak Republic, Mr. Husár, Plenipotentiary of the Government of the Slovak Republic for Youth and Sport, p. Kučera, for support and cooperation in the creation of a safe and controlled zone for sports training at the Olympic Training Center in Šamorín. We are jointly convinced that by creating a zone and respecting the relevant regulations of the Government of the Slovak Republic, measures and guidelines of the Public Health Office of the Slovak Republic for athletes, we will jointly contribute to creating optimal conditions for ensuring their undisturbed sports training.