While private aircraft were considered a matter of luxury earlier, the pandemic has changed that perception to some extent. Private charters provide safety in isolation.

“In February this year, our Olympic team were in a training camp in Piediluco,” says Dorin Alupei, Team Manager of the Romanian Rowing Team. “The situation began to deteriorate very fast in Italy and we decided to bring back the team in Romania as soon as possible. The only way we found at that time was a charter plane from Romanian national airline TAROM.”

The Romanian rowing team has big support from the Romanian Government through the Youth and Sport Ministry and the National Olympic Committee. Then came the idea of doing the same thing for the European Championships in Poznan.

“It’s more expensive than our traditional way of going to an event but we have the opportunity to travel more safely. The athletes are very happy with that decision – so are the families, clubs and people around them,” says Alupei.

“Knowing that they will be travelling more safely, they feel more relaxed, they have been training very hard and are ready for Poznan.”

As with all participants to the European Championships, the Romanian team come in with big hopes. “We expect to collect a few medals, but the most important thing is really to be having this competition. This is the first and only 2020 international competition for seniors. Our athletes desperately need this competition, like they need water and air to survive.”

The Poznan Organising Committee and the Poznan City and State medical authorities have carefully followed the WHO and World Rowing safe event guidelines to establish the necessary and appropriate preventive measures at the event. Appropriate plans have been put in place to ensure that the event is staged with the lowest possible risk for virus transmission.

“We would like to thank and to express our gratitude to all people and authorities made this competition possible in Poznan,” says Alupei.

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