Sun, pollen, storms - how athletes have to adapt to climate change

When football games are canceled due to strong gusts of wind, ski areas no longer have snow in winter and long-distance runners collapse in the summer heat, the effects of climate change can also be felt in sport. High temperatures, storms and other consequences of global warming are already restricting the possibilities for exercise and in some cases endangering the health of the athletes. Sport must therefore find ways to adapt to the changes - and at the same time bears responsibility for climate protection.

If global warming continues, extreme events in sport could soon be the norm: a report warns of heat strokes among players and spectators, stadiums being flooded by heavy rain and flooded sports fields. The circle of those affected is large. The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) alone has around 27 million members in around 90,000 clubs in Germany. There are also people who keep fit outside of organized sports by jogging, hiking or cycling.

But the training not only has a positive effect on the body, direct and indirect consequences of climate change are now affecting the health of athletes. The Robert Koch Institute now lists six risk areas: heat, increased UV radiation, extreme weather conditions, increased ozone and particulate matter pollution, allergies and infections.

"Many of these risks now run through the whole year, although they are more pronounced in summer," says sports sociologist Sven Schneider, professor at the University Medical Center Mannheim. He and his team have investigated how sport could adapt to this situation. The scientists developed a model that provides a combination of so-called behavioral and situational preventive measures. "On the one hand, athletes can protect themselves according to medical guidelines," explains Schneider. "On the other hand, the framework conditions of the sport can be optimized." This benefits all athletes, regardless of how they behave individually.

A few examples: Allergy-causing pollen. Due to the mild winters, they now fly almost all year round and occur in higher concentrations. In addition, the pollutants in the air make them more and more aggressive. "Endurance athletes are particularly at risk because of their larger respiratory volume," explains Schneider. Hypoallergenic planting along the sports facilities could relieve allergy sufferers. Antihistamines or asthma sprays can also provide relief. "However, some of these drugs are on the doping list because they expand the bronchi," the sports sociologist points out.

Or the amount of rainfall. This is increasing due to climate change, but is not distributed evenly over the seasons. The winters are wetter and the summers are drier. Schneider expects increased heavy rain and flooding in the cold season. That's why he recommends athletes use the warning app from the Federal Office for Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (NINA), which provides information about such dangers. In addition, the sports sociologist thinks it makes sense to adapt the rules of the game: "For example, the rules should define how interim results are evaluated in the event of a game being abandoned due to bad weather."

The risk of infection is also increasing due to the climate. Ticks are already more active in spring, blue-green algae can pollute water in summer, and non-native mosquito species are spreading to us. The Asian tiger mosquito, for example, now occurs regularly in Germany and can transmit more than 20 viruses, including West Nile, dengue and Zika viruses. "These are completely new health risks that climate change brings with it," says scientist Schneider. He advises joggers to wear close-fitting clothing in the warm season, use insect repellent and check the body for ticks after exercise. Canoeists should avoid rolling techniques in polluted waters and only eat provisions with disinfected hands.

However, according to an expert survey by Schneider's team, the biggest risks for athletes include heat and UV radiation. Clubs can ensure the protection of everyone involved by energetically renovating halls and stretching awnings over coaches' benches and spectator stands. In addition, the playing times can be adjusted: "A youth football game doesn't have to take place in the midday heat," says Schneider. He suggests extending the leagues' summer break and letting clubs play longer into the mild winter. With regard to UV radiation, which can be unexpectedly high as early as the end of March, individual protection for athletes is also important in order to prevent sunburn and skin cancer.

Most sports associations have so far lacked such target group-specific information. “Compared to other institutions, sport is relatively late,” says Schneider, who analyzed the websites of all 66 top DOSB associations. The result: only every fifth association provides information about UV exposure, every sixth about the danger of heat waves. "The other risks are addressed even less frequently, although they are just as relevant," he complains.

Adapting to the consequences of climate change is one thing – protecting the climate is another. Germany wants to become climate neutral by 2045. In order for this to succeed, everyone is required: "As an economic sector, sport is clearly one of the causes of climate change," claims Schneider.

If you take the largest international competitions together, it can be assumed that annual greenhouse gas emissions for global sport are estimated at ten million tons of CO₂ equivalents. This corresponds roughly to the greenhouse gases of Latvia. The majority of the emissions are due to the arrival and departure of athletes and spectators.

In addition to the emission of greenhouse gases, some sports also damage the ecosystem directly. Forests are cleared and soil leveled for ski slopes, and artificial snow has to be used in many places. According to the Federal Ministry for the Environment, the seasonal snowmaking of all ski areas in the Alps consumes around 2,100 gigawatt hours of electricity, as much as 500,000 households combined per year. They also consume immense amounts of water. According to a study, even with a massive expansion of artificial snowmaking, the number of ski areas with guaranteed snow will fall sharply in the long term.

Approaches to climate protection can be seen, for example, in football, the most popular sport among Germans. For fans combined tickets with local public transport, the arena in Sinsheim is to be developed into Germany's first zero-waste stadium. One of the world's largest solar roofs was inaugurated on a football stadium in Freiburg this year, with which the system should be able to cover its entire annual electricity requirement CO₂-free.

Nevertheless, only four of the 36 clubs in the German Football League have set themselves a binding net zero target. But that should change. A first step is the mandatory sustainability guideline, which the Bundesliga anchored in its licensing in the spring.

The English club Forest Green Rovers, which was recognized by the United Nations in 2018 as the first climate-neutral football club in the world, is a pioneer when it comes to climate protection. He uses electricity from renewable sources, has an electric team bus, collects rain to water the pitch and organizes group trips for fans. A special feature: The Forest Green Rovers eat vegan and that also applies to the food on offer in the stadium.

In German stadiums, on the other hand, sports sociologist Schneider sees room for improvement: “The range of food is often limited to the stadium sausage. There are more climate-friendly alternatives.” Schneider assumes that athletes and fans will support such changes: “Fans are part of our society and a change is taking place right now.”

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