Team Korea injury and illness surveillance at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games

The purpose of this study was to describe the injury and illness epidemiology in Team Korea athletes during 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games. Incidence rates in pre-Olympic training camp and the Olympic Village were calculated and compared.

Medical records of Team Korea athletes who competed for 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games were analyzed. This study was conducted in accordance with the International Olympic Committee Consensus Statement 2020. Incidence rates (case per 1000 athlete-days) were calculated and incidence rate ratios were used for comparisons.

Team Korea athletes (n = 122, 57 males and 65 females) were analyzed. A total of 43 injuries (pre-Olympic training camp, n = 6, 8.3 injuries per 1000 athlete-days; Olympic Village, n = 37, 22.9 injuries per 1000 athlete-days) and 53 illnesses (pre-Olympic training camp, n = 16, 22.1 illnesses per 1000 athlete-days; Olympic Village, n = 37, 22.9 illnesses per 1000 athlete-days) newly occurred. The Olympic Village had a greater risk of injury than the pre-Olympic training camp (incidence rate ratio = 2.8, 95% CI: 1.2 to 6.6, p-value = 0.016). However, there was no significant difference in the risk of illness (incidence rate ratio = 1.04, 95% CI: 0.58 to 1.87, p-value = 0.900).

Team Korea athletes participating in the 2024 Paris Summer Olympic Games exhibited higher incidences of injury and illness than previous Olympic Games statistics. This single-delegation epidemiological research will contribute to our understanding of the true incidence of health problems in Olympians.