Lebanon, N.H. – February 1, 2022 – The 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China will be unlike any other because of the COVID-19 threat. While the U.S. Ski & Snowboard team prepares for the celebrated international competition, Global Rescue is poised to provide emergency support in the event of illness or injury among any of the team members, as the company did during the 2006, 2010, 2014, 2016 and 2018 Winter Games. “As we have for the past five Winter Games, we have emergency action plans in place for the U.S. Ski and Snowboard team,” said Dan Richards, Global Rescue CEO.  

“Chinese officials have implemented a closed-loop policy to protect against the spread of the disease. Global Rescue medical and security experts will not be allowed on-site, but members of the U.S. Ski & Snowboard team will have access to Global Rescue’s on-staff medical experts for real-time consultations with U.S.-based medical professionals who will help sort out any injuries or illnesses, including COVID-19,” Richards said. 

Global Rescue has helped protect the health and safety of U.S. Ski & Snowboard members since 2006. “Global Rescue provides valuable travel protection, security and medical resource services for U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes and staff as they travel abroad to compete on the world stage,” said Sophie Goldschmidt, President and CEO, U.S. Ski & Snowboard. 

In the event of a major injury or illness — like a head injury or COVID-19 — U.S. Ski & Snowboard members will be able to supplement on-site diagnoses and treatment with Global Rescue on-staff medical experts.  

“With hotline access to medical advisory and a host of other services, the Global Rescue safety net provides an additional layer of protection beyond the closed loop Chinese officials have installed. Global Rescue medical experts can assess the team member’s circumstance, provide additional medical guidance and arrange for their medical evacuation back to their home hospital of choice in the United States, if necessary,” Richards said. 

Official Chinese resources will handle ground and air transports for medical evacuations. “Any emergency medical situation arising that requires outside, non-Chinese support will be handled on a case-by-case basis by international government and medical officials. It’s all quite unprecedented,” Richards said. 

“U.S. Ski & Snowboard athletes, coaches and staff are introduced to Global Rescue throughout many membership area touchpoints, including information contained in membership and sport education emails and through the benefits platform at my.usskiandsnowboard.org,” said Tom Horrocks, U.S. Ski & Snowboard. 

Global Rescue’s medical emergency and evacuation role during the Olympics in China is the larger focus compared to the safety and security concerns during the 2016 Winter Olympics in Sochi when threats from terrorism were looming. But both concerns require similar action. 

“A threat is a threat, so there really is no difference in the need to leave a situation at a moment’s notice, whether it is an accident, medical emergency, or pandemic. Getting out quickly and efficiently is the key,” Horrocks said.

Contact Bill McIntyre at bmcintyre@globalrescue.com or 202.560.1195 (phone/text) for more information.

About Global Rescue

Global Rescue is the world’s leading provider of medical, security, evacuation and travel risk management services to enterprises, governments and individuals. Founded in 2004, Global Rescue has exclusive relationships with the Johns Hopkins Emergency Medicine Division of Special Operations and Elite Medical Group. Global Rescue provides best-in-class services that identify, monitor and respond to client medical and security crises. Global Rescue has provided medical and security support to its clients, including Fortune 500 companies, governments and academic institutions, during every globally significant crisis of the last decade. For more information, visit www.globalrescue.com.