People who suffer HIV can participate in sports without any restrictions. But it is usually suggested that athletes with HIV training with caution to avoid injuries. HIV athletes can wear mouth guards, helmets and other equipment to protect their body during extreme sports.
Precautions for athletes suffering HIV
•Cover all existing wounds properly before starting a game
•Stopping the game if the player has an injury and starts bleeding and only resume a game once wound is completely covered, and all blood is cleaned up
•Change clothing exposed to blood before resuming a game
•HIV players should have their own drink bottle, mouth guard, towel and any other personal items like razors and brushes
•Make sure the team is aware of the HIV athlete, so they can be cautious when needed
Athletes need to ensure they are wearing the proper protective gear to lower the risk of injury.
There is a low risk of HIV transmission when an athlete that has the disease is bleeding or has a skin lesion, and another player has a skin lesion or exposed membrane this could serve as a portal for the virus. More hard-core sports like boxing have high chances of the disease being spread as both players end up with facial wounds and when a strike is hit blood often splatters and flies everywhere where it could enter another wound and infect that person. Sports like soccer and football rarely have bleeding wounds, so they are lower risk sport where we see more bone and muscle injuries. If training is riskier, then HIV suffers are best to sit out to avoid any injuries.
When precautions are taken by both the HIV athlete and sports people around them the risk of the HIV spreading is very low.
