Intelligent Monitoring and Detection of Water Hazards in Aquatic Sports

This paper presents a comprehensive review of safety challenges associated with aquatic sports, encompassing both Olympic-standard disciplines and recreational activities. Despite their global popularity as a form of physical activity, aquatic sports pose significant risks due to various water-related hazards, including rip currents, rip tides, tidal waves, windstorms, and waterborne disease outbreaks. These hazards have been linked to numerous injuries and fatalities worldwide, occurring in both competitive and leisure contexts. As global participation in aquatic sports continues to grow, the need for intelligent monitoring and hazard detection systems has become increasingly critical to ensure public safety. Advanced technologies such as sensors, image processing, and machine learning demonstrate considerable potential in enhancing accuracy and practicality, though challenges related to cost and implementation remain. This review outlines the key barriers to widespread adoption of these technologies and high- lights emerging opportunities for improvement. Finally, the paper concludes by summarizing the potential impact of intelligent hazard monitoring systems on improving the safety of athletes and the public engaged in aquatic sports.