Reports point to Paris’s poor reputation for heat-related risks. Sports doctors have trained teams to quickly treat athletes’ exertional hyperthermia, which can be fatal or leave serious after-effects.
1,300 deaths in oppressive heat of 51 degrees in recent days during the pilgrimage to Mecca. A terrible assessment which inevitably echoes the feared heatwave during the Paris Olympics (July 26 – August 11) while a report written by British climatologists from the NGO Climate Central warns of the dangers of extreme temperatures this summer .
An alert linked to Paris’s bad reputation in this area: the capital has the highest mortality rate due to heat among 854 European cities. 5,000 people died in France during the summer of 2023 due to the heatwave according to Public Health France.
Mortality rate of 27% in the event of poor care
Although it is too early to predict what the weather will be like in a month, some researchers believe that a heatwave worse than that of 2003 (9 days at over 35 degrees) is possible.
The first public exposed is that of athletes, particularly those competing in violent or endurance sports. “Malignant exertional hyperthermia can have devastating consequences”confirms Stéphane Bermon, doctor for the international athletics federation. “It affects about 1% of athletes in hot weather and must be treated within half an hour with an ice bath to lower the body’s internal temperature when it exceeds 41 degrees. The mortality rate is 27% in the event of poor treatment, with risks for survivors of developing strokes, cardiovascular disorders or kidney failure in the long term.”
No air conditioning in the Olympic Village
Stéphane Bermon and his teams have therefore started training Olympic doctors to set up specific units to treat these heat strokes. The most sensitive events have also been postponed to the cooler hours.
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“Sleep disturbance due to heat and lack of air conditioning” is however pointed out by the athletes in the NGO report while the Olympic village will be without air conditioning for environmental reasons.
35,000 people at the marathon for all
“We are vigilant, the list of measures promised by the organizers seems acceptable and portable air conditioning remains available for athletes at risk, particularly Paralympic athletes” tempers Montpellier researcher Stéphane Racinais, member of the group of experts mandated by the IOC.
“Paris-2024 has already taken a strong measure by authorizing spectators to access the sites with their water bottle”he adds while seven million spectators are expected in often unshaded stands…
The main cause for concern remains the marathon for all on August 10, with 35,000 participants, even at the end of the day. “We potentially have the risk of having to treat between 150 and 200 severe heat strokes” warns Stéphane Bermon. “We are a little in the unknown, recognizes Stéphane Racinais, but the principle is to prepare for the worst while hoping for the best…”
