The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recently launched a new series of educational videos dedicated to emergency extrication on the field of play, providing medical and operational teams with clear guidance on best-practice response across a wide range of sport environments. Developed in close collaboration with the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), selected International Federations (IFs), and the medical department of the Paris 2024 Organising Committee, the initiative aims to strengthen preparedness and consistency for critical situations onsite.

ASOIF played an essential role in coordinating the project, ensuring that IFs’ sport-specific needs were fully integrated into the training materials. Through its Medical and Science Consultative Group (AMSCG), ASOIF supported the alignment of protocols across disciplines, contributed to scenario development, and helped harmonise standards for emergency extrication on the field of play.

The video series showcases real-world situations spanning a variety of sports settings, including heat stroke management during endurance events, equestrian and cycling falls, extrication from water and open-sea environments, and extrication at other indoor and outdoor arenas. Each clip is designed to translate medical expertise into practical action under pressure.

"These videos are intended to guide medical and operational teams on best practices, illustrating various scenarios such as sand and water venues," said Dr Jane Thornton OLY, IOC Health, Medicine, and Science Department Director. "They aim to promote consistency, preparedness and the highest standards of care across different fields of play. These videos demonstrate gold-standard procedures, even though specific practices may differ between sports and countries."

Dr Margo Mountjoy, Chair of the AMSCG, emphasised the collaborative value of the initiative: "This project reflects our shared commitment to athlete safety and emergency readiness in sport. By providing unified and visually clear guidance across a diversity of environments, we are enhancing response capability, reducing critical hesitation time, and raising the standard of care for the competing athletes."

The full video collection Emergency Extrication on the Field of Play is now available on the IOC’s website for medical and operational teams across Olympic sports: Emergency Extrication on the Field of Play.