It’s been a century since Paris last hosted the Olympics. Since then, the average temperature in the French capital has risen by 1.8 °C. Additionally, between 1947 and 2023, there have been 50 recorded heatwaves.
This information, along with new climate risks for participants in the Summer Olympics set to kick off on July 26 in Paris, is detailed in a new report by the British Association for Sustainable Sport and the climate advocacy group FrontRunners.
The authors of the report titled “Fire Rings: Heat Risks at the 2024 Paris Olympics” warn, “The fact that the Olympics will take place in the height of summer means that the threat of devastating heat is very real.”
During the summer of 2003, a deadly heatwave claimed the lives of over 14,000 people in France. Such extreme events have become ten times more likely due to climate change, which has increased the risk of heat-related mortality in central Paris by 70 percent.
According to physiologists Mike Tipton and Joe Corbett from the Extreme Conditions Laboratory at the University of Portsmouth (UK), the Games pose conditions that could impair athletes’ performance and, in the worst-case scenario, put them at risk of death.
“In hot and/or humid conditions, it becomes more difficult to dissipate heat to the environment and regulate internal body temperature. This worsens physical performance, especially when the exposure is prolonged and requires sustained high-intensity effort,” the scientists explained.
One of the most popular methods for assessing how the body perceives hot conditions is measuring the temperature using a wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) index. The WBGT index provides broader information about the conditions an athlete will face than just air temperature alone. It also takes into account humidity, air movement, and radiant heat.
A study published in 2022 found that the maximum temperature a young, healthy person can withstand (before losing the ability to regulate their body temperature) is around 31 °C, or about 30 °C at very high humidity.
High levels of temperature and humidity in the air, which have become more frequent in Paris during the summer in recent years, increase the risk of sunburn, heat cramps, exhaustion, and even loss of consciousness from heatstroke.
To mitigate the impact of heat stress on athletes, Olympic officials have implemented certain measures. However, researchers believe these measures are not stringent enough to adequately protect athletes in the face of global warming.
Some Measures for Protecting Against Extreme Heat at the 2024 Summer Olympics
If the WBGT index reaches 30.1 °C during tennis competitions, a 10-minute break will be provided for the players. If it hits 32.2 °C, tournament organizers may halt the game.
Triathlon events will be canceled if the WBGT index exceeds 32.2 °C.
However, there is no specific WBGT threshold set for hockey participants. The air temperature must reach at least 35 °C before any safety measures are taken for hockey players. Meanwhile, a 2023 study indicated that hockey was one of the sports requiring the most physical endurance during the Tokyo Olympics in 2020. “During the Games, at least one hockey player suffered a heatstroke, and three others reported heat-related illnesses,” the new report states.
Experts have urged the governing bodies of the current Olympics to reconsider the event schedule to avoid extreme heat, enhance safety protocols, and allow athletes to openly discuss how climate change affects their well-being during competitions.
Science Alert has shared a link to the full report “Fire Rings: Heat Risks at the 2024 Paris Olympics.”
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