Source: REUTERS/IVAN ALVARADO
[Saba Sports News] As the world enters the hotter months of June, many regions are experiencing high temperatures. According to French weather forecasts, temperatures in France are expected to be higher than usual from May to August. Given that the Paris Olympics will take place at the end of July, the absence of air conditioning in the Olympic Village has become a contentious issue among badminton players. The Organizing Committee has stated its commitment to staging the most environmentally friendly Olympics and has outlined a sustainability plan that foregoes the installation of air conditioning. Instead, the plan relies on natural resources and underground cooling systems, similar to those used in the Louvre Museum, to mitigate the effects of extreme heat. While the Olympic Village’s water cooling system will draw water from the Seine River to cool the air and recirculate it through the building’s piping system to significantly reduce its overall temperature, badminton players represented by Viktor Axelsen have expressed strong opposition to this approach. They argue that after intense competition, badminton players need optimal rest conditions to recover their physical fitness, and the current cooling system in the Olympic Village is inadequate to maintain a comfortable indoor temperature. In response, several delegations are planning to bring their own portable air conditioning units to the Paris Olympics. Teams from the United States, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and Italy are among those considering implementing their own air conditioning solutions. It is widely believed that a comfortable and relaxing rest and competition environment is conducive to athletes achieving their best performances, particularly in physically demanding sports like badminton.