"Paris on Alert Amid Heatwave Warning: 'Hottest Olympics in History' Expected"

Concerns have been raised that the Paris Olympics, opening at the end of next month, will be held amid the worst heatwave in history. There is a warning that athletes could collapse due to the extreme heat or, in the worst case, even die.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

The Guardian daily reported on the 17th (local time), citing the report "Rings of Fire," which warned of the heatwave risk at the Paris Olympics. The report evaluated the 2020 Tokyo Olympics held in 2021 as the "hottest Olympics in history" so far, with temperatures exceeding 34 degrees Celsius and humidity approaching 70%, and predicted that this year's Paris Olympics would surpass it.

Emma Pocock, CEO of FrontRunners, one of the organizations that prepared the report, pointed out, "We now know that the Paris Olympics could exceed (Tokyo's heatwave record)," adding, "Climate change has influenced the continuation of record-breaking heat in recent months."

Since the last Summer Olympics held in Paris 100 years ago in 1924, the annual temperature has risen by 1.8 degrees. Additionally, the number of hot days (above 25 degrees Celsius) has increased by 23 days, and scorching days (above 30 degrees Celsius) by 9 days.

Since 1947, Paris has experienced heatwaves 50 times. In particular, due to the effects of climate change, the frequency and intensity of heatwaves are increasing. In July and August 2003, a record-breaking heatwave caused more than 14,000 deaths in France. Meteo France, the French weather forecasting agency, stated, "Temperatures across France from May to July are expected to be higher than average."

Accordingly, the report recommends measures to prepare for the hottest Olympics in history. Sebastian Coe, a four-time Olympic medalist and president of World Athletics, warned, "Climate change is increasingly becoming an existential threat to sports," and it could have a wide-ranging impact on athletes' performance. Competing in extreme heat raises concerns for athletes about sunburn, heat cramps, heatstroke, and in the worst cases, death.

Tennis player Daniil Medvedev, who competed in the Tokyo Olympics, recalled, "Athletes vomited and fainted at the finish line," adding, "The fear of dying on the court during competition increased." Australian race walker Rhydian Cowley also said, "There is concern that athletes' lives could be threatened."

The report argued that schedules should be adjusted to avoid heatwaves, and hydration and cooling systems for athletes should be operated. It also emphasized supporting athletes to raise their voices on climate change, strengthening cooperation between sports organizations and athletes in related campaigns, and reevaluating the use and support of fossil fuels within the sports industry. This report was published by the UK Association for Sustainable Sports and FrontRunners.

Meanwhile, as concerns over the heatwave grow, the Paris Olympic Organizing Committee stated that they could lend low-emission portable cooling devices. The Guardian reported in a separate article that since the Paris Olympics, which promotes itself as an eco-friendly event, did not install air conditioning in the Olympic Village, teams from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Italy plan to bring personal air conditioners. Recently, photos of Olympic Village accommodations with only fans and no air conditioning were shared on online communities. The Paris Olympics will be held from July 26 to August 11, during the height of summer.

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