Table 1

Definitions of medical encounters and medical problems

TerminologyDefinition
Non-reported medical problemA medical problem experienced by an athlete participating in an event, where ‘the athlete decides not to seek assistance from the event medical team, or seeks assistance outside of the event medical team.’
Medical encounterA reported medical problem that is an ‘interaction between the medical team and a race participant requiring medical assistance or evaluation, 7 8 taking place from the official start of the event, up to 24 hours after the official cut-off time of the event.’
Minor medical encounterA medical encounter that:

  1. Is not significant or severe enough to result in withdrawal of the athlete from the event following assessment by the medical staff.

  2. Or does not require admission and supervised medical care at race medical facilities (on the race course, or at the end of the event) or transfer to a hospital for supervised medical care.

Moderate medical encounterA medical encounter that:

  1. Is significant (severe) enough to result in withdrawal of the athlete from the event following assessment by the medical staff.

  2. Or is non-life threatening but requires medical assessment and admission to the event medical facilities with supervised medical care.

  3. Or is non-life threatening but requires referral or transfer to a hospital.

Serious/life-threatening medical encounterA medical encounter that is known to be life threatening and requires immediate emergency medical treatment with:

  1. Either admission to a high-care (intensive care and observation) medical area at the event.

  2. Or transport (with or without admission) to a hospital.

Event-related sudden cardiac arrest (SCA)A medical encounter (cardiac arrest) that requires immediate cardiopulmonary resuscitation (including defibrillation), where the medical problem resulting in cardiac arrest was:

  1. Deemed to be directly related to the event.

  2. The onset of the medical problem occurred during the event or within 1–24 hours of the finish time. 52 53 54*

Event-related sudden cardiac death (SCD)A medical encounter that resulted in SCD from an SCA, where the medical problem resulting in SCD was:

  1. Deemed to be directly related to the event.

  2. The onset of the medical problem occurred during the event or within 1–24 hours of the finish time. 52 53 54*

Event-related sudden deathA medial encounter that resulted in sudden death from non-cardiac causes, where the medical problem resulting in death was:

  1. Deemed to be directly related to the event.

  2. The onset of the medical problem occurred during the event or within 1–24 hours of the finish time. 52 53 54*

  • *In order to compare SCA, SCD and event-related sudden death data with previously reported data, it is critical to record the timing of the cardiac arrest or death in one of three possible time periods as follows: (A) during the event, (B) immediately after finishing and up to 1 hour after the event, and (C) between 1 and 24 hours after the event.