High temperatures in Paris could affect athletes’ performance at the Olympic Games

A scorching heat will be felt during the days in which the Olympic Games in Parisaccording to a report released by scientists and climatologists, which may pose certain dangers.

«The fact that the Olympics are taking place in the middle of summer means that the threat of a devastating heatwave is very real.“, says the report Rings of Fire II, which was published by the NGO Climate Centralthe British Association for Sustainable Sport (BASIS) and the movement Front Runners.

The Parisian event, which will open on July 26 and run until August 11, will take place on days that have been hit by strong heat waves in recent years.

For example Last summer, more than 5,000 people lost their lives due to the high temperatures.as the report points out.

And it is that it is that This extreme heat not only affects the general population, but might also negatively affect the performance of athletes.

«Heat and humidity make it difficult to expel heat and regulate core temperature. This complicates physical performance, especially when exposure is prolonged and high sustained work rates are required.“, reads part of the report.

It also stipulates that Competing in extreme heat conditions, coupled with high humidity, can cause sunburn and cramps, as well as physical exhaustion and even collapse from heat stroke.

For this reason, they have urged the organisers of major competitions such as the Olympic Games or the World Cup to rethink their calendar.

The report also encourages the organizing committees to improve the Rehydration and cooling plans of athletes and assistants to reduce the risk of heat stroke.

Paris 2024 organisers say they have built some flexibility into their programme to allow for the postponement of events such as the marathon and triathlon to avoid midday heat peaks.

However, the Olympic Village has been built without air conditioning to reduce their carbon footprint.

«Heat-related sleep disruption has been cited in the build-up to the 2024 Games as a major concern for athletes, particularly due to the lack of air conditioning in the Olympic Village.“the report says.

Olympic teams were offered the option to install portable air conditioning units in their accommodations, which many accepted.