'Tragic but avoidable' - how serious is heat-death risk in sport?
BBC Sport explores the health impact of extreme heat on athletes, following the death of a Fijian rugby player in Japan in August.
On Monday, 3 August, Fijian rugby player Saimoni Vunilagi died after training with his team. The 26-year-old displayed symptoms consistent with severe heatstroke during the session, despite medical efforts, and passed away. This tragic incident occurred during a summer of severe heatwaves across Japan, the UK, Europe and many other parts of the world, with temperatures in Fukuoka reaching 35C by noon when Vunilagi became ill.
Experts are alarmed by the link between training in extreme heat and Vunilagi's death, given the rise in global temperatures and the frequency of extremely hot days. There have been several heat-related medical incidents in sports events this year, including collapsing tennis players and runners needing hospitalization during a marathon in South Korea.
The World Cup also saw controversial hydration breaks at every match, introduced by FIFA to aid player welfare. The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) is used by various sports to monitor potentially dangerous heat levels, but some experts believe athletes need greater protection to prevent further fatalities. Dr Madeleine Orr, an assistant professor of sport ecology at the University of Toronto, says people often underestimate the severity of today's heatwaves, which are hotter than those in their childhood due to relative changes in normal temperatures.
She advocates for a standardized approach across sports to implement heat safety measures, similar to lightning protocols, to ensure player safety.
Written by urgent.news from BBC Sport's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
