Concussion is a significant and complex health issue arising within the Australian sporting, affecting all levels of play and with varying degrees of risk in different sports. Sailing is not exempt from this. 

The Australian Sports Commission and the Australian Institute of Sport have put together resources to support all stakeholders involved in sport, including sailors, parents, coaches and instructors, race officials and club committees etc., to provide them with the latest information and improve safety.

Whether sailing is reasonably considered an ‘at risk’ sport is to be debated. It is not a combat or collision sport such as boxing or rugby league, respectively. But it is ‘played’ on a platform with many hard parts, which is moving at variable speeds, on a typically unstable surface. Head knocks can and do happen.

The resources that are now available allow the reader to understand what concussion is and how to assess it. The resources provide advice on how to manage it and, importantly for everyone, guidance on what to do if concussion is suspected.

If in doubt, sit them out.

Any sailor with suspected concussion should be removed, medically assessed and monitored for deterioration. No sailor diagnosed with concussion should be returned to race or train on the day of injury. Advice indicates leaving it longer; at least 48 hours after diagnosis followed by a gradual return to their usual program.

Because sailing has such a wide array of contexts, from quite slow to extremely fast, flat water to open ocean and everything in between, there is no one-size fits all policy on headgear. The only place wearing helmets is mandated is in certain class rules, usually high-speed foiling classes. But even they have not arrived at a consistent position. Nonetheless, the Australian Sports Commission states clearly that "Helmets will not stop concussion from occurring."

That being recognised, Australian Sailing still supports competitors who believe it is appropriate to exceed the above requirements (such as the wearing of helmets, body armour, impact vests, etc.) if they or their guardian believe that conditions and their personal circumstances warrant.

To view the Concussion in Sport guidelines, click here.
Read this for an article about safety dinghy sailing.

By Glen Stanaway