Climate change and rising temperatures may well affect every facet of our lives – and according to the International Olympic Committee president, the Summer Olympic Games are no exception.
Olympic Changes
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Hethers
The international Olympic Games have changed rapidly in the last few decades, and this year’s Paris Olympics has only made those changes more stark, as controversy and speculation swirl around the opening ceremony and individual athletes.
IOC President Speaks on Climate Change
Image Credit: Shutterstock / photowalking
However, there is another major that Olympic hosts, athletes, and viewers will have to contend with in the future, according to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) President Thomas Bach: and that is climate change.
Conference Questions
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Salivanchuk Semen
During an Olympic press conference on Friday, Bach made allusions to the possibility that ‘anthropogenic’ climate change – changes in the global climate system caused by human actions – could affect the scheduling of future Olympic Games.
If Climate Change Continues
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Frame Stock Footage
“If the climate change is continuing in a way that the experts are forecasting it then it will be very difficult to organize Olympic Games in summer, in August,” Bach said, as reported by Robert Livingstone of GamesBids.
No More Summer Olympics?
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Bartolomiej Pietrzyk
In some parts of the world, summer months could reach such high daily temperatures that it would be implausible – and potentially unsafe – for Olympic athletes to perform and spectators to congregate outdoors during the hottest parts of the year.
Future Discussions
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Salivanchuk Semen
Bach explained that the IOC and the future Summer Olympics hosts would need to come together to consider whether the typical July-August dates would work for the Games.
Middle-Eastern Countries Weigh in
Image Credit: Pexel / Lara Jameson
The questions were asked in reference to Saudi Arabia and Qatar, as both countries are being touted as possible bidders for future Olympic Games.
Risky Summer Climate
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Eli Mordechai
Given their geographic location, both Middle Eastern countries would be at an even higher risk of excess summer temperatures, potentially ruling out a summer event.
FIFA Scheduling Changes
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Andrey_Popov
It was also posed in connection to the 2022 FIFA World Cup. FIFA shifted the dates for the event, which was hosted in Qatar, to the end of autumn to help avoid sweltering summer temperatures.
Relevant to Everyone
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Vladimir Borovic
However, Bach went out of his way to deny that these potential changes would be related to bids from Middle Eastern nations but instead could be relevant to the future of the Olympic Games in any country.
“Regardless of Where the Games Are Taking Place”
Image Credit: Shutterstock / lev radin
“We have to sit together, and regardless of where the Games are taking place to see whether the calendar has to be adapted, adjusted to climate change and global warming and the same is already true for the Winter Games,” he continued.
Already Some Changes
Image Credit: Pexel / Anete Lusina
Bach also pointed out that the IOC had “seen this already,” in terms of needing to change some scheduling for Olympic events due to temperature changes.
Tokyo Olympics
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Boris-B
During the 2020 Olympic Games, the IOC and World Athletics chose to move the Olympic marathon from Tokyo, where the main Games were being held, to Sapporo, so runners could avoid excess heat.
Heatstroke and Fainting
Image Credit: Shutterstock / EugeneEdge
During the Tokyo Olympics, summer temperatures reached the highest of any Games to date, according to CNN weather reports. Some athletes collapsed due to excess heat, others experienced mild heatstroke, and high-profile athletes like Serbian tennis player Novak Djokovic called out the “brutal” conditions.
Morning Marathon Changes
Image Credit: Pexel / RUN 4 FFWPU
This year the Paris Olympics also shifted the times of the morning marathons to give athletes a chance to start at a cooler time in the morning.
No Serious Issues
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Africa Studio
Fortunately, the Paris Olympic Games and its athletes have not suffered any major impacts as a result of the summer heat.
True for All International Federations
Image Credit: Shutterstock / wellphoto
It isn’t only the Olympics and FIFA who will have to take climate change into consideration during event planning. “This is not only true for us,” Bach added. “This is true for the entire calendar of the international federations.”
No Concrete Indications Yet
Image Credit: Shutterstock / aerogondo2
So far, there is no indication of whether climate change-related temperature changes will affect scheduling for the next Olympic Games.
LA and Brisbane
Image Credit: Pexel / Paul Deetman
The next Games have already been confirmed for July 2028, in Los Angeles, California, and the 2032 Olympic Games will be held in Brisbane, Australia, across July and August.
Unlikely to Affect the Australian Games
Image Credit: Pexel / Catarina Sousa
While the timing for the LA Games is unclear, rising temperatures are unlikely to affect the Brisbane Games as they will be held during the winter and spring months for the Southern Hemisphere nation.
Oil Dumping Scandal Rocks Ships Heading to New Orleans
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Aerial-motion
Two shipping companies have been fined after knowingly hiding a large oil spill in the Atlantic Ocean. Oil Dumping Scandal Rocks Ships Heading to New Orleans
20 Eye-Opening Realities Facing Retiring Baby Boomers
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Jack Frog
As Baby Boomers approach retirement, the promise of leisure and security often seems unattainable. This generation faces unique challenges that could redefine retirement. Here’s a stark look at the realities shaping their outlook. 20 Eye-Opening Realities Facing Retiring Baby Boomers
Retail Apocalypse: Massive Closures Sweep Across U.S. Brands
Image Credit: Shutterstock / Tada Images
Stores across the U.S. are closing at unprecedented levels, according to new research from advisory firm Coresight Research. Read on for more information about the impact this could have on you and your communities. Retail Apocalypse: Massive Closures Sweep Across U.S. Brands
Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / lev radin.
