[Tilu News]The 2024 Paris Olympics will promote the concept of green environmental protection. One of the well-known policies is that air conditioners will not be installed in the 7,000 rooms in the athletes’ village. However, meteorological experts predict that the local temperature in France may reach as high as 34 degrees Celsius from July to August. Therefore, the above measures have aroused opposition from many parties. The United States, Germany, Japan and other countries have even stated that they will prepare their own mobile air-conditioning devices for athletes. Under pressure from delegations from all over the country, the Paris Olympic Organizing Committee confirmed on Tuesday (2nd) local time that it had ordered 2,500 air conditioners for the athlete village, which can be used in more than one-third of the rooms.
According to the original plan, all rooms in the Paris Athletes Village would not be equipped with air conditioners (Photo: Getty Images)
The Paris Olympic Organizing Committee proposed as early as 2022 that it would implement the concept of green environmental protection at this Olympics and hopes that the carbon emissions generated during the event will not exceed half of the 2012 London Olympics or the 2016 Rio Olympics. In order to achieve this goal, the Olympic Organizing Committee decided to ignore the pressure of public opinion and announced that it would not install air-conditioning in the rooms in the athletes’ village. Instead, it would provide 8,000 fans and dissipate heat through the cooling duct system in the building to help athletes withstand high temperatures.
Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris and the person in charge of infrastructure for this year’s Olympic Games, was confident that the temperature in the rooms in the athletes’ village could maintain a temperature difference of 6 degrees Celsius from the outdoor temperature, and believed that there was no need to provide air conditioning in the athletes’ village: “I respect it very much. Athletes value their own comfort, but the long-term survival of mankind is more worthy of consideration for me.”
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo (left) believes that this Olympics needs to focus on ecological conservation (Photo: Getty Images)
However, after the “Athletes Village without Air Conditioning” plan was announced, given that the extreme summer heat in Paris has caused more than 30,000 deaths in the past decade, the outside world has raised concerns about athletes’ competition preparation, sleep quality and even life safety. Some people even advocated ” Athletes’ lifelong Olympic experience should not be sacrificed for a short event.”
As the countdown to the opening draws near, the controversy has become louder and louder. Countries such as the United Kingdom, Italy, and Canada have publicly announced that they will prepare mobile air-conditioning devices in the rooms for their players.Even the leader of the Hong Kong team, Shi Wenxin, said in April this year that he would actively seek sponsorship of air coolers for the Hong Kong team.. Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the United States Olympic Committee, also revealed when attending a meeting last Friday (28th) that the United States will join the list of countries that “provide their own air-conditioning”: “Air-conditioning is very important to our athletes and cannot be ignored. She added that she appreciates Paris’ contribution to ecological conservation, but at this juncture, the controllability of athletes’ performance is more pressing for the United States.
The US Olympic Committee announced last Friday that it will provide athletes with their own mobile air-conditioning units (Photo: Getty Images)
Under pressure from delegations from various countries, the Paris Olympic Organizing Committee decided to “turn around” and introduce air conditioning to some rooms in the athletes’ village. “We understand that the athletes will be participating in one of the most important events of their lives, so we hope to meet their special requirements…” Augustin Tran Van Chau, deputy director of the Athletes Village, explained, “We understand that the athletes have to do this for reasons such as their own comfort and physical recovery. They have higher temperature requirements, so we ordered 2,500 air conditioners for them.”
The Paris Olympic Athletes Village has about 7,000 rooms, but the Olympic Organizing Committee has no plans to install air conditioning in the remaining rooms. In other words, more than half of the athletes can only enjoy the coolness through officially provided fans. However, the Olympic Organizing Committee has provided technical restriction guidelines for delegations from all regions, stating that if mobile air conditioners from various countries pass certain energy consumption standards, they can be brought into the athlete village for use. At the same time, athletes are encouraged to only install them in each room as much as possible. No more than one air conditioner.
Text: Li Keyi
This article was published bySportsroad“Originally published in”Paris Olympics｜The “Athletes Village without Air-conditioning” plan failed, more than one-third of the rooms benefited」
sfarsit articol
The 2024 Paris Olympics aims to promote green environmental protection. One prominent initiative was to avoid installing air conditioners in the 7,000 rooms of the athlete’s village. However, meteorological experts predict temperatures in France could reach 34 degrees Celsius from July to August, leading to opposition from numerous parties. The United States, Germany, Japan, and other countries announced their intent to bring their own mobile air-conditioning units for athletes.
According to the original plan, all rooms in the Paris Athletes Village would not be equipped with air conditioners (Photo: Getty Images)
The Paris Olympic Organizing Committee, as early as 2022, proposed implementing green environmental protection at the Olympics, aiming to reduce carbon emissions to less than half those of the 2012 London Olympics or the 2016 Rio Olympics. To achieve this, the Organizing Committee decided to disregard public opinion and announced it wouldn’t install air conditioning in the athletes’ village. Instead, they planned to provide 8,000 fans and use the building’s cooling duct system to dissipate heat, assisting athletes in enduring high temperatures.
Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris and responsible for infrastructure for this year’s Olympics, was confident that the temperature in the athlete’s village rooms could maintain a 6-degree Celsius difference from the outdoor temperature. She believed there was no need to provide air conditioning: “I respect athletes’ desire for comfort, but the long-term survival of humankind is more important to me.”
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo (left) believes that this Olympics needs to focus on ecological conservation (Photo: Getty Images)
However, following the announcement of the “Athletes Village without Air Conditioning” plan, concerns about athlete competition preparation, sleep quality, and even life safety were raised due to the extreme summer heat in Paris, which has caused over 30,000 deaths in the past decade. Some people argued that “an athlete’s lifelong Olympic experience shouldn’t be sacrificed for a short event.”
As the opening day approached, this controversy intensified. Countries like the United Kingdom, Italy, and Canada publicly declared they would prepare mobile air-conditioning units for their athletes. Even the leader of the Hong Kong team, Shi Wenxin, stated in April that he would seek sponsorship for air coolers. Sarah Hirshland, CEO of the US Olympic Committee, also announced at a meeting last Friday that the United States would provide its athletes with air conditioning: “Air conditioning is crucial for our athletes and can’t be ignored.” She added that she appreciated Paris’ commitment to ecological conservation but, at this point, the US prioritizes athletes’ performance controllability.
The US Olympic Committee announced last Friday that it will provide athletes with their own mobile air-conditioning units (Photo: Getty Images)
Under pressure from delegations, the Paris Olympic Organizing Committee reversed its stance and decided to install air conditioning in some rooms of the athlete’s village. “We understand that athletes will be participating in one of the most important events of their lives, so we want to meet their special needs,” explained Augustin Tran Van Chau, deputy director of the Athletes Village. “We acknowledge that athletes need air conditioning for comfort and physical recovery. They have higher temperature requirements, so we ordered 2,500 air conditioners.”
Although the Paris Olympic Athletes Village has approximately 7,000 rooms, the Olympic Organizing Committee has no plans to install air conditioning in the remaining rooms. This means more than half of the athletes will only have access to cooling provided by officially supplied fans. However, the Organizing Committee has established technical guidelines for delegations, stating that mobile air conditioners meeting certain energy consumption standards can be brought into the athlete’s village. Athletes are encouraged to install a maximum of one air conditioner per room.
Text: Li Keyi
This article was published bySportsroad“Originally published in”Paris Olympics｜The “Athletes Village without Air-conditioning” plan failed, more than one-third of the rooms benefited」
Paris Olympics 2024: Athletes Village Air Conditioning Controversy
The 2024 Paris Olympics are set to promote a green environment, with one of the notable policies being the absence of air conditioning in the 7,000 rooms of the Athletes Village. This decision, however, has sparked controversy as meteorological experts predict temperatures in Paris could soar to 34 degrees Celsius during July and August.
Pushback from Athletes and National Delegations
The lack of air conditioning has raised concerns about athlete performance, sleep quality, and even safety, especially considering the extreme summer heat in Paris, which has caused over 30,000 deaths in the past decade.
- The United States, Germany, Japan, and other countries have voiced their disapproval and announced plans to provide their athletes with portable air conditioning units.
- The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) CEO, Sarah Hirshland, stated, “Air conditioning is very important to our athletes and cannot be ignored.”
- The United Kingdom, Italy, and Canada have also revealed plans to provide their athletes with cooling solutions.
- Even the Hong Kong team leader, Shi Wenxin, expressed the need for air coolers in April 2023.
Paris Olympic Organizing Committee’s Response
Faced with mounting pressure from delegations worldwide, the Paris Olympic Organizing Committee (POC) announced in July 2023 that they will install 2,500 air conditioners in the Athletes Village, covering more than one-third of the rooms.
Although the POC is committed to minimizing the carbon footprint of the Games, they acknowledged the importance of athlete comfort and performance. The POC will prioritize air conditioning for rooms where athletes require higher temperatures for recovery and training.
A Compromise for Sustainability and Athlete Performance
The POC has also introduced guidelines for mobile air conditioners brought in by delegations. These units must adhere to specific energy consumption standards, and the use of individual air conditioners is encouraged.
This compromise by the POC reflects a balance between promoting a green Olympics and ensuring athlete well-being. While the POC aims to maintain the initial vision of an environmentally conscious Games, they have acknowledged the need for some air conditioning to ensure athletes can compete at their peak.
Impact on the Green Olympics Vision
The decision to partially introduce air conditioning has generated debate regarding the overall commitment to a green Olympics. Critics argue that the shift weakens the Paris Games’ sustainability goals.
Proponents, on the other hand, highlight the importance of finding solutions that balance environmental concerns with the needs of the athletes. They argue that a more flexible approach allows the Games to adhere to sustainability principles while supporting athlete performance.
Lessons for Future Olympic Games
The Paris Olympics air conditioning controversy provides valuable lessons for future Games, particularly in regions with extreme heat:
- Thorough planning and communication are essential to address logistical and climatic challenges.
- Consulting with National Olympic Committees and athlete delegations on critical amenities is crucial to ensure athlete well-being.
- Creative technological solutions to manage heat can complement existing infrastructure.
- Continuous evaluation and flexibility are necessary to adjust to evolving needs and challenges.
The Paris Olympics will undoubtedly continue to be a test case for hosting successful and sustainable Games, especially in the face of climate change and evolving expectations within the global sporting community.