When Argentina faces Canada this Thursday in the opening match of the 2024 Copa América, the United States will be in the middle of a heat wave that will affect more than 77 million people. The roof of Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, where the match will take place, will likely be closed to control the indoor temperature in the heat in the Georgian capital.
Although June 20 marks the official start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere, temperatures in Atlanta are already much higher than during the hottest times of the year a half-century ago. In 1974, the highest temperature recorded in the city was 25ºC (77ºF); On Thursday, the forecast places the mercury above 32ºC (89.6ºF).
In the context of increasing global warming, the South American Football Confederation (Conmebol) has published for the first time in its history a series of guidelines aimed at combating exercise-related heat stroke in football. With this announcement, it joins sports organizations such as FIFA and the English Premier League in implementing preventive measures against extreme heat events.
In the announcement published last Tuesday, Conmebol recognizes that “rising temperatures due to climate change pose significant threats to players”, while the confederation highlights “the organization’s commitment to player safety and climate awareness” in the face of “the seriousness of global warming”. »
As Osvaldo Pangrazio, president of the Conmebol Medical Commission and director of its anti-doping unit, explains, the guidelines, drawn up after analyzing “a register of the effects that heat can produce in certain cities”, aim to prevent ” health problems such as hyperthermia, dehydration and increased muscle injuries. Their main concern does not concern the matches – which will be played in air-conditioned stadiums – but “the training, both for the players and for the referees”.
To prevent players from suffering heat stroke during the Copa América, Conmebol will allow them to request breaks throughout the tournament, Pangrazio explains. If necessary, players may request 90-second hydration stops from the referee. Additionally, the doctor recommends the use of iced towels at halftime.
One of the first heat waves of the season
The current heat wave is expected to affect the Midwest and Northwest United States throughout this week. As of Tuesday morning, more than 77 million Americans were under extreme heat alert. The US National Weather Service (NWS) estimates that parts of the country, such as the Texas cities of Brownsville and Laredo, will exceed 41°C over the weekend. In Atlanta, where the opening match will be played, temperatures on Saturday and Sunday will reach 36ºC (96.8ºF).
In the United States, heat waves have increased in both frequency and severity in recent years. In June 2021, western North America experienced a record heat wave that not only recorded the highest temperatures in the region’s history, but also led to wildfires, deaths of more than half a million animals and serious damage to crops. The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimates that this extreme heat event caused approximately $8 billion in damages. A study published in the scientific journal Scientists progress concluded that since 1960 there have been only five more severe extreme heat waves.
This week’s weather event is not expected to be as intense as 2021’s. However, high temperatures will affect Arizona, New Mexico, Florida, Nevada, and Texas more severely; the latter three states will host most of the Copa América matches.
“The weather report from earlier this week indicates that many areas will experience a heat wave that will not last long, but will be significant,” Pangrazio said. “We monitor this system so that team doctors can take necessary action.”
How does heat affect football?
“Heat always affects sports performance,” notes Leslie Mabon, professor of environmental systems at the Open University. The impact varies depending on the athlete’s physical condition, age, playing style and role on the team.
Conmebol’s recommendations emphasize the prevention of heat stroke caused by exercise which, in the most serious cases, can lead to death, even in young athletes. “The risk is greatest during training, in extreme heat conditions, especially in sporting communities where athletes are encouraged to push themselves to the maximum,” says Mabon.
“When we consider heat stress, we need to consider both heat generated internally from physical activity and external heat from the environment,” says S. Tony Wolf, assistant professor in the department of kinesiology at the University of Georgia.
Added to this, he adds, is the impact of ambient humidity. “For sweat to cool us, it must evaporate. In a very humid environment, sweat remains on the skin or flows without evaporating, making it difficult to regulate body temperature.
A sporting world that adapts to the weather
Conmebol is not the only organization taking steps to integrate a response to the effects of climate change on football. FIFA, for example, states that a WetBulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) value above 32ºC (89.6ºF) constitutes an “extreme risk of thermal injury.”
This heat measurement parameter, notes Wolf, is more comprehensive and gives “a more accurate picture of the total thermal environment and its impact on heat dissipation through sweat” because it takes into account ambient temperature, l humidity, solar radiation and air movement.
In extreme heat conditions, FIFA suggests postponing the match or implementing hydration breaks every 30 minutes so that players can rest. This was the case during the match between Mexico and the Netherlands at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, when referee Pedro Proença ordered the first hydration break in a FIFA competition due to the extreme heat that reigned in the stadium. Extreme temperatures are also the reason why FIFA moved the Qatar 2022 World Cup from June to November.
The Premier League implemented similar measures in 2022, when the UK Met Office declared an extreme heat warning during a series of weekend matches. In response, the English elite implemented mandatory hydration breaks when temperatures exceeded 30ºC.
However, organizations such as the International Federation of Professional Footballers have criticized the measures as insufficient. The association says FIFA guidelines, with only one break per half, do not allow players to rest or hydrate properly.
The debate highlights a sporting world searching for answers to climate change. “Some organizations, like the International Cycling Union, have created guidelines based on the WBGT to limit or cancel events. However, many of these measures are not fully evidence-based,” notes Wolf. “We need more research efforts to better understand which environmental conditions lead to increased risk. »
Mabon, for his part, believes that preventive measures can be effective, even if their usefulness is limited. For example, Conmebol recommends that footballers acclimatize to the heat for two weeks before matches, but as the Copa América will be played in 14 different cities, temperatures and conditions will change depending on the time, day and of the place.
“There are ways to adapt, such as training at cooler times of the day, taking breaks to cool down, and playing early in the morning or late in the evening,” says the Open environmental systems professor University. “However, as the planet warms, there is a limit to the human body’s ability to adapt.”
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