Paris temperatures exceed 40 degrees... "Eco-friendly Olympics, no air conditioning"

Opening in July next year... Decision not to install air conditioning in the athletes' village
IOC "Temperature control OK with insulation and fans"
"We don't think the heatwave will affect performance"

The Paris Summer Olympics, set to open on July 26 next year, will not have air conditioning installed in the athletes' village in the name of an eco-friendly Olympics. Amid concerns about the heatwave and athletes' conditions, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) president expressed optimism that the athletes will get a good night's sleep.

Paris, France [Photo by AP Yonhap News]

According to major foreign media reports on the 25th (local time), it was decided not to install air conditioning in the athletes' village for the summer Olympics held in midsummer in order to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and host an eco-friendly Olympics. There are voices of concern because athletes need to maintain their best condition to perform at their highest level in the world's largest sports festival and an important event in their careers.

In particular, due to global warming and other weather anomalies, major European cities have been suffering from heatwaves last year and this year. In southern France, the mercury rose above 40 degrees Celsius this year, and in July last year, the temperature in Paris reached a high of 43 degrees Celsius.

However, IOC President Thomas Bach expressed confidence that athletes will sleep comfortably in the athletes' village without air conditioning.

He said, "The Paris Organizing Committee has made great efforts to ensure that athletes can stay comfortably even without air conditioning," adding, "The athletes' village will be operated at a comfortable temperature 6 degrees or more lower than the outside temperature."

Thomas Bach, IOC President, sitting on a cardboard bed during a visit to the Paris Olympic Village.
[Photo by AP Yonhap News]

President Bach said, "I am not worried that the heatwave will affect the approximately 15,000 athletes," and expressed optimism, saying, "We will benefit from the experience of the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics held in 2021 under hot and humid conditions."

An official from the athletes' village added that if the outside temperature is 38 degrees Celsius, the interior temperature of the athletes' village buildings, which use insulation materials and fans, can be maintained at 26 to 28 degrees Celsius, so air conditioning will not be necessary.

Meanwhile, the Paris Organizing Committee previously decided to install the 'cardboard beds' that became a topic and controversy at the Tokyo Olympics in the Paris Olympics athletes' village and has already signed a contract with a Japanese manufacturer. These cardboard beds are also made from recycled materials, and after the Paris Olympics, the organizing committee plans to donate these beds to charity organizations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.