The Paris Olympics 2024 has been faced with severe climatic challenges ahead of its commencement in mid July. An acute heat wave looms large during the summer games.
Athletes, climate scientists and heat physiologists have sounded an alarm on possible threats to participants on their performance and health.
The ill effects of the extreme heat condition has been reported in ‘Rings of Fire: Heat Risks at the 2024 Paris Olympics’, which was published by the British Association for Sustainable Sport and Frontrunners, an organization helping athletes engage in environmental issues.
Lord Coe, President of World Athletics, said “climate change should increasingly be viewed as an existential threat to sport”. Severe heat could affect the events, athletes, spectators and officials.
Mid-Summer Nightmare at Paris Olympics 2024
Average temperature during the Olympic Games in Paris is expected to be 21 degrees Celsius while the maximum could top 30 degree Celsius making it difficult for the athletes.
Such weather conditions will not only hamper the performances of athletes but also lead to heat-related illness amongst them which could even prove to be fatal.
Daniil Medvedev, an ace tennis player from Russia, had said during a match at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics that he might die from heat and humidity.
“The Tokyo Games became known as the ‘hottest in history’, with temperatures exceeding 34°C and humidity reaching nearly 70 per cent, leading to severe health risks for competitors. The Paris Games have the potential to surpass that with climate change driven by the burning of fossil fuels contributing to record heat streaks during the past months,” the report said.
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Jamie Farndale, a rugby player for Great Britain, claimed that despite the heat, athletes will still participate in the games, potentially risking their lives. “It is not in an athlete’s DNA to stop, and if conditions are too dangerous, I think there is a risk of fatalities,” Farndale said.
The report mentioned that the 2023 heat wave in France claimed nearly 5,000 people; and 2024 is on its way to be the hottest year, breaking the 2023 record.
According to the report, the average temperature during the Paris Olympics 2024 Games is on course to rise by 3.1°C since 1924, the year when the Olympics was last held in France.
Heat and humidity was also a major issue at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where 100 athletes suffered from heat-related illness, according to a 2023 National Library of Medicine study.
Tokyo Games had images of athletes fainting at the finish line, vomiting and being taken away on wheelchairs due to heat stroke.
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“Sleep disruption due to heat has been cited in the build-up to the 2024 Games as a major concern by athletes, especially given the lack of air conditioning in the Olympic Village,” the report said.
The “Rings Of Fire” report has outlined some recommendations for the organizers to make it easier for the participants.
It suggested the organizing committee provide improved rehydration and cooling plans for athletes and fans to avoid the risk of heat stroke.
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Organizers of Paris Olympics 2024 say they have built flexibility into their schedules, enabling them to shift around some events such as the marathon or triathlon to avoid the peaks of midday heat.
Keeping athletes safe by offering sufficient breaks and limiting their heat exposure will be a priority that will be held from July 26 to August 11.
