Climate and Sport: The Invisible Rival Always on the Field

When we watch an exciting match or a finishing sprint at the Olympic distance, we see athletes, coaches, stadiums, and fans. But there is another participant in any competition that is often forgotten. It is the climate. It is always there. It determines where you can run and where you can play football, it affects the outcome of the match, the health of the athletes, and what kind of sport will become popular in a particular country. In the 21st century, as climate change becomes more noticeable, the connection between weather and sport comes to the forefront. It's not just about "hot or cold." It's about the survival of a sport, about adaptation, about new records and new risks.

How Climate Affects the Physiology of an Athlete

The human body is a complex thermoregulation system. At rest, it maintains a temperature of about 36.6 degrees, but during intense exercise, the internal temperature can rise to 39–40 degrees. In hot and humid climates, cooling mechanisms work at their limit. Sweat evaporates poorly, and the body cannot release excess heat. This leads to decreased performance, dizziness, cramps, and in severe cases, heatstroke.

Studies show that at temperatures above 25 degrees and high humidity, the productivity of long-distance runners decreases by 5–10 percent. At 30 degrees and humidity of 80%, even a well-prepared athlete feels as if their speed has dropped by 15–20 percent. This is not psychology — it's physics. Muscles work worse, the heart has a harder time pumping blood, the brain receives less oxygen.

In cold climates, there are other challenges. Muscles become stiffer in the cold, increasing the risk of injuries. Breathing cold air can cause bronchospasm. However, the body is better at releasing heat in cold weather, and endurance can be higher than in the heat. That's why many world records in athletics are set in moderately cool weather — around 15 degrees, when there is neither heat nor cold.

The impact of solar radiation is also important. Ultraviolet light not only accelerates skin aging but also affects the production of vitamin D, which is critical for bone and immune health. Athletes training in regions with low insolation often have a vitamin D deficiency, which affects their results. That's why many teams bring vitamin supplements and even special light therapy lamps with them.

Acclimatization: How the Body Learns to Conquer the Climate

The main tool of an athlete in the fight against the climate is acclimatization. This is a physiological process that allows the body to adapt to new weather conditions. When moving to a hot climate, the body begins to change its settings: sweating increases, sweat becomes less salty, the volume of plasma in the blood increases, and the heart beats slower at the same load.

But acclimatization requires time. It takes at least 10–14 days to adapt to the heat, and up to a month for full adaptation. That's why many athletes arrive at major tournaments a few weeks before the start. For example, before the 2019 World Athletics Championships in Doha (Qatar), athletes arrived 3–4 weeks in advance to get used to the extreme heat and humidity.

Acclimatization is even more challenging in high altitudes. At an altitude of more than 2000 meters, partial pressure of oxygen decreases, and the body needs time to increase the number of red blood cells and hemoglobin. This process takes 3–4 weeks. But it has a powerful effect: after returning to the plains, athletes often show record-breaking results. This is called the "supercompensation effect."

Climate as a Strategic Choice for Training

Professional clubs and national teams are increasingly choosing locations for training camps based not only on the availability of good fields or gyms but also on climatic conditions. In winter, European teams often go to Spain, Portugal, or Turkey, where it is warmer and there are more sunny days. Swimmers and track and field athletes train in Australia or South Africa, where summer coincides with the European winter — this allows them to train in a warm climate year-round without changing seasons.

Many countries are creating specialized training centers in places with unique climates. For example, the best long-distance runners in Ethiopia and Kenya train at an altitude of 2000–2500 meters. Here, high altitude, a warm climate, and stable weather conditions create ideal conditions for developing endurance. Not surprisingly, all world records in marathon and 10,000-meter running in the last two decades have been set by athletes from this region.

Climate Change and the Sports Calendar

Global warming is beginning to change the familiar sports calendar. World Championships in athletics and the Olympics are increasingly being held in regions with a mild climate, and the choice of host cities is increasingly determined not only by infrastructure but also by temperature forecasts. For example, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar was moved to November-December to avoid the summer heat of 40 degrees. This decision set a precedent: for the first time, a major tournament was held not in traditional summer time.

Winter sports are also suffering. Fewer and fewer cities can guarantee stable snow cover for competitions. Skiing and alpine skiing tracks are increasingly using artificial snow, which requires huge amounts of water and energy. Some traditional stages of the World Cup in skiing are forced to change locations or dates. In the future, this could lead to a reduction in the number of winter disciplines or their relocation to indoor centers.

Marathons and triathlons are also being adjusted. In recent years, organizers of mass races have introduced earlier starts (at 6–7 am) to finish before the peak heat. Additional water supply points appear on the routes, and cooling baths are installed in rest areas.

Sport as a Tool in the Fight Against Climate Change

But sport is not only suffering from climate change — it can be part of the solution. Many sports organizations are switching to renewable energy, building eco-friendly stadiums, reducing water and plastic consumption. The Olympics are increasingly leaving behind not only arenas but also closed-loop water supply systems, solar power stations, and green parks.

Athletes who enjoy huge popularity become voices of the climate agenda. Many of them participate in environmental campaigns, urge fans to consume responsibly, use their authority to attract attention to the issue. Athletes, more than anyone else, understand the importance of clean air, water, and a healthy environment — because without them, their careers are impossible.

Mass sports can also contribute to sustainability. Running and cycling events often become a reason to raise funds for environmental projects, educate participants about climate risks. More and more marathons are introducing green standards: separate waste collection, refusal of single-use plastic, use of biodegradable materials for medals and starting packets.

Sport and Health in Conditions of Climate Stress

Climate affects not only competitive results but also the health of athletes. The frequency of extreme temperature events is increasing, creating new risks. Prolonged exposure to high temperatures can cause chronic stress, disrupt sleep and recovery, increase the risk of cardiovascular diseases. Athletes training in hot regions should be particularly attentive to hydration and electrolyte balance, as well as early signs of overheating.

Air quality is another important factor. Training outdoors in cities with high levels of pollution becomes dangerous. This is especially relevant for athletes such as runners, cyclists, and swimmers, who are forced to inhale large volumes of air. More and more teams are using portable air quality monitoring stations and moving training indoors during smog periods.

Sports Geography: Why Sports Are Attached to Climate

One of the amazing regularities is that the popularity of certain sports is closely linked to the climate. In cold regions, skiing, ice skating, biathlon dominate. In warm regions, football, track and field, cycling, tennis. This is not by chance: sports that emerged in a particular climate used natural conditions as their "arenas."

In Scandinavian countries, winter sports are national pride because they grew out of the daily need to move on snow and ice. In Africa and South America, football has become the royal sport — it does not require expensive equipment and can be accessible even in the poorest areas. In Australia and the United States, water sports are developing thanks to the long coastline and warm climate.

This climatic determinism may change over time. Artificial ice rinks, ski resorts with artificial snow, covered stadiums — technologies are blurring this boundary. However, the value of such solutions remains high, and not all countries have the resources to create such infrastructure.

Conclusion

Climate and sport are not two parallel lines. They are intertwined in every training session, every competition, every location choice. Athletes learn to read the weather, adapt to temperature, breathe air that is either too hot or too cold. They become experts on their own bodies but also dependent on external conditions. And in the era of climate change, this dependence is becoming more and more apparent. The task of the sports community is not to ignore the challenges but to use its potential to adapt and help the planet. After all, sport teaches us the main thing: to overcome obstacles. And climate is just that obstacle that we must overcome together.

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