{"id":68544,"date":"2024-07-25T15:03:47","date_gmt":"2024-07-25T13:03:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/?p=68544"},"modified":"2024-12-16T16:07:12","modified_gmt":"2024-12-16T15:07:12","slug":"no-sports-on-a-dead-planet-4-ways-the-climate-crisis-is-impacting-sports-and-athletes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.greenpeace.org\/international\/story\/68544\/no-sports-on-a-dead-planet-4-ways-the-climate-crisis-is-impacting-sports-and-athletes\/","title":{"rendered":"No sports on a dead planet: 4 ways the climate crisis is impacting sports and athletes"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Have you ever tried running in a heatwave or playing football in a storm? If so, you know that extreme weather can profoundly alter the sporting experience, whether you’re an amateur, a professional or a spectator.<\/p>\n\n

The Paris Olympic Games are about to get underway, and their vow to be the \u2018greenest ever Games\u2019 continues to give rise to debates<\/a>, if only because of their sponsors, major polluters like Coca-Cola<\/a>, Samsung<\/a>, Air France<\/a>, and Toyota<\/a>. This is a good time to remember that the world of sport itself is not spared by the impacts of the climate crisis.<\/p>\n\n

The expression “there are no sports on a dead planet” underscores the urgent reality that the climate crisis is not just an environmental issue but one that permeates every facet of life, including sports. Here are four ways the climate crisis is impacting sports and athletes.<\/p>\n\n

1. Extreme heat threatens athlete\u2019s health and performance<\/h2>\n\n

Rising global temperatures are making it increasingly difficult for athletes to perform safely. Extreme heat can lead to heat exhaustion, dehydration, and even heatstroke, jeopardising athletes’ health and performance. That is true for tennis<\/a>, cricket<\/a>, baseball<\/a>, football<\/a>, rugby<\/a>, cycling<\/a> and many other sports.<\/p>\n\n

\"Melting
This melting tennis ball artwork, installed in Melbourne by Greenpeace Australia Pacific volunteers in 2020, draws attention to the imminent threats that climate change poses to the Australian Open tennis tournament, which has already been disrupted by bushfire smoke and heat waves that put players and spectators at risk.
\u00a9 Greenpeace<\/div><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n

During the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, the Games saw temperatures soar above 30\u00b0C (86\u00b0F)<\/a> with high humidity, causing significant distress among athletes. Events like the marathon and race walking were moved to early morning hours to mitigate heat risks. Australian Open tennis players frequently contend with blistering heat<\/a>. In 2014, temperatures reached 43\u00b0C (109\u00b0F), causing numerous players to suffer heat-related illnesses<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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A post shared by Greenpeace International \ud83c\udf0d (@greenpeace)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n