The WFTDA takes the health and safety of its members and the general roller derby community seriously. WFTDA Leadership collaborated with our team of COVID-19 medical experts, National Governing Bodies of roller derby, and other roller derby organizations worldwide to create and adjust our guidelines throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to support league management in returning to play based on science and data-driven factors.

As COVID-19 has become largely endemic, with localities and regions around the world providing different reporting and mitigation strategies, these guidelines have been adjusted to provide recommendations for returning to play during any future pandemic or period of high rates of infectious disease infections.

It is strongly recommended that WFTDA Member Leagues adhere to these guidelines to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19 or any future virus or pandemic in your leagues and communities.

WFTDA Member Leagues must stay up-to-date with and adhere to their national, regional, and local government warnings and guidelines in regards to managing the spread of any virus in their localities. This may include limiting the number or scope of gatherings and events, should the infection rate require it. It’s also strongly recommended that all eligible members get vaccinated, if accessible.

The current recommendations, as well as Audience Return Guidelines, Infection Control Guide, and Recommendations for Returning to Full Contact are available to download in PDF format, below.



WFTDA Return to Roller Derby Ladder

The WFTDA Return to Roller Derby Ladder provides guidance for when leagues should re-start roller derby activities, with step-by-step recommendations for doing so safely during periods of high infectious disease rates in your area. (Updated June 2022)


WFTDA Audience Return Guidelines

These guidelines have been created for leagues to follow when they’ve reached minimum requirements for having audiences return to public games in later tiers of the roller derby ladder. (Updated May 2022)


WFTDA Infection Control Guide

This document provides guidance to leagues and participants on best practices to prevent the transmission of communicable diseases and skin infections when participating in roller derby. (Updated May 2020)


WFTDA Recommendations for Return to Full-Contact Skating

This document includes recommendations on how to safely return to roller derby after a break as well as mental health recommendations. (Updated May 2020)

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