FIFA does not have a Climate Change Action Plan

Great game in football is planned for Sunday, when Argentina and Spain will meet in the final Cup World Cup, held outside the city of New York. There is only one problem. Wildfire smoke is now threatening the game – and FIFA, the governing body of the game, appears to have no plan in place to protect the health of players or fans.

Smoke from wildfires raging across Canada has blanketed large parts of the Midwest and East Coast in recent days, affecting more than a dozen countrieswhich contains cities that have been most affected by air pollution that is considered hazardous. New Yorkers are among those who have been watching their air turn orange and symptomatic this week. Thursday, the government he issued a warning when the air quality rose to “unhealthy” and “very unhealthy”. “Avoid spending time outside, if possible,” advised the authorities.

By Friday morning, the air quality near the stadium remained unhealthy, and when it predicts to continue to be “moderate” starting on Sunday, the smoke can still change. If the concerns persist in the final, there is no way to close the open field where stars Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal are expected to continue. This means that fans and players can smoke, which can lead to symptoms such as sore throat, cough, or headache, among others. This can be particularly dangerous for vulnerable groups, including children, the elderly, and people with respiratory problems such as asthma.

The players also practiced outside in an air-conditioned environment ahead of the game—the Spanish team played Thursday in New Jersey. “These are elite athletes who are moving a lot of air into their lungs,” said Courtney Howard, a medical doctor and director of the Global Climate and Health Alliance. he told the Associated Press. “They should not be participating in outdoor activities if the air is at dangerous levels due to air pollution associated with wildfires.”

The FIFA World Cup appears to be unprepared for a smoke emergency. Neither FIFA officials nor the New York City Department of Health immediately responded to Grist’s request for comment. In previous text to GristFIFA details protocols related to extreme heat, including mandatory hydration for players, but does not specify the type of air.

“Weather-related risks,” the organization wrote last month, “are evaluated as part of tournament planning and are carefully managed by the host cities, stadium managers, and national organizations.”

Unlike FIFA, several other players implement changes that are triggered by air warnings. According to the National Women’s Soccer League, for example, the women’s soccer game at Citi Field in New York on Thursday had a safety break. The NWSL policy adds hydration breaks to the air quality list of 101 (“unhealthy for affected teams”) and bans or suspends games when the AQI rises above 200 (“unhealthy”). Major League Baseball canceled one game this week in Philadelphia, and Major League Soccer canceled a game in Chicago because of the smoke.

The World Cup is in its fifth and final weekend, and although the games are taking place in many areas affected by wildfires, so far FIFA’s bet on better air quality has paid off. They may have another chance this weekend, says Nicholas Watanabe, a professor of sports and entertainment at the University of South Carolina, but that doesn’t mean they’re not ready.

“FIFA seems unprepared for the wildfire,” says Watanabe. “At the same time, it looks like the worst pollution will end before the World Cup Final, so FIFA will dodge a bullet and push forward with the game.”

Others, however, question whether there is enough, with both FIFA and other international players facing these and other climate threats. FIFA has already done so he was condemned this year for its rules about high temperature.” If we have a break every 15 minutes, we don’t have to play the game,” said Trinity Rodmanwho played in the NWSL soccer game that was affected by the smoke in New York.