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Olympic Athletes Challenged by New Opponent: Global Warming

  • Hot weather may lead to heatstroke and reduce concentration
  • Opening ceremony highlighted distress from global warming
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - AUGUST 07: The peloton rides during the Women's Road Race on Day 2 of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games on August 7, 2016 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Rio 2016 Olympic Games run until August 21.
Photographer: Mario Tama/Getty Images
Updated on

Climate change warnings poignantly made during the Olympic Games opening ceremony on Friday are likely to resonate with athletes as they struggle to train and compete in Brazil’s tropical heat.

Marathon runners, swimmers, volleyball players and even soccer referees will succumb to extreme temperatures and lose concentration during the games, in some cases risking their lives to heatstroke, according to a report released Monday by Observatorio do Clima, a Brazilian civil society group.