The U.S. Olympic team and national sports federations from a few other countries are taking matters into their own hands when it comes to keeping their athletes cool at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris. Despite organizers’ plans to cut carbon emissions and promote sustainability, these teams will be supplying their athletes with air conditioners during the games.
Organizers had initially planned to use a system of cooling pipes underneath floors in the Athletes Village to cool rooms for the more than 15,000 Olympians and sports officials expected to stay there. However, the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee CEO Sarah Hirshland announced that the U.S. team will be providing AC units for their athletes.
While the organizers’ goal is to keep rooms between 23-26 degrees Celsius (73-79 degrees Fahrenheit) using environmentally friendly methods, the U.S. team and several other countries, including Germany, Australia, Italy, Canada, and Great Britain, have decided to bring their own air conditioners to ensure consistency and predictability for their athletes’ performance.
With the average high temperature in Paris on Aug. 1 reaching 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit), the decision to bring air conditioners is understandable. Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo expressed her desire for the Paris Games to be exemplary from an environmental point of view, but the practicality of keeping athletes comfortable and focused during competition is a top priority for these teams.
In addition to the air conditioning issue, France has also had to invest $1.5 billion to clean the Seine River in preparation for aquatic events at the Summer Games, highlighting the various challenges and considerations that go into hosting such a large-scale international event.
As the countdown to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris continues, the debate between sustainability and athlete comfort remains a hot topic among participants and organizers alike.
