Australian Olympic Committee buys portable airconditioners to keep athletes cool at Paris Games

The Australian Olympic Committee is set to spend $100k on portable airconditioners for athletes’ rooms at next year’s Paris Games to offset the threat of a dangerous heatwave.

Australia’s Olympic team in Paris have taken the extraordinary step of renting their own airconditioning units and fans in a bid to overcome the threat of a dangerous heatwave at next year’s Games.

The unprecedented measures have been implemented by the Australian Olympic Committee following a decision by Paris 2024 organisers not to install airconditioning in the athletes’ village, in order to limit the carbon footprint of the Games.

The AOC are poised to invest in more than $100,000 in portable airconditioning units, to be used inside the rooms of the Australian team village for the Games to be held in July next year.

The number of cooling units to be used across 14 days of the world’s greatest sporting event is still to be finalised, however the latest count has risen to beyond 100

In addition, and in a clear indication of how serious the AOC are treating the performance of the Australian team, a heat professor has been employed to advise the team.

Pole vaulter Nina Kennedy will compete at night and need help to sleep during the heat of the day. Picture: Getty Images

Ollie Jay, Director of Heat and Health Research at The University of Sydney, has previously consulted for the Australian Cricket team and the Australian Open tennis tournament.

Rival countries, including US, Canada and Team GB are also believed to be preparing to follow Australia’s lead in hiring airconditioning units. However, due to the expense involved, many minnow countries without the budget or funding will be forced to go without the cooling units, creating the prospect of an uneven playing field.

Cartoonist Warren Brown’s view of athletes needing to bring their own airconditioning to the Paris Olympics.

The AOC are leaving no stone unturned given July temperatures in Paris sometimes rise above 40 degrees.

“The Paris Organising Committee aren’t putting built-in airconditioning into the athletes’ village, due to the commitment around the games being powered by 100 per cent renewable energy,’’ AOC CEO Matt Carroll told News Corp.

“Each room will have an under-floor cooling system, while double-glazed windows and shutters will be part of the build.

“We appreciate the concept of not having airconditioning due to the carbon footprint.

“But it is a high-performance Games. We’re not going for a picnic.

An artist’s impression of the accommodation for the Paris 2024 Games.

“We’ve (AOC) appointed a heat specialist, who understands the heat, the human body and how to sleep well, and at what temperature that is best achieved.

“As we’ve explained to the Paris Organising Committee, athletes have got to sleep during the day, because their events are at night.

“Daytime will be when it’s hottest.

“That’s been informing our decision in putting temporary airconditioners in the athletes’ rooms and also fans.

“It’s an expense, but we believe we’ll be able to manage it.’’

Australian Olympic Team Chef de Mission for the Paris Games Anna Meares. Picture: Getty Images

Australia’s chef de mission for Paris, Anna Meares, will tour the athletes’ village in Paris in January.

Meares said the preparation of the Australian athletes was paramount, which included preparing for the potential of a heatwave.

“We’re working with Ollie (Jay) and our head of high performance Alex Baumann and our head of medical Dr Carolyne Broderick, they’re looking at all the possible ways we can use what we have at our disposal, should a heatwave or the temperature be too high,’’ Meares said.

“In terms of looking at it from a high-performance lens, how can we get it cooler should a heatwave strike the athletes?

“It’s as much about how they perform in heat, as much as it is how they rest, in those conditions.

“We’re looking at everything from portable airconditioners, fans, cool clothing, ice vests and air flow through the rooms.

“It’s a matter of having as many plans and options at our disposal as possible.’’

Laurent Michaud, director of the Olympic and Paralympic Villages for Paris 2024, told Retuers last July that airconditioning “wouldn’t be necessary.’’

“With the insulation of the buildings we can contain the coolness of the night until late the next day and that helps keep an acceptable temperature inside,” Michaud said.

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Originally published as Australian Olympic Committee buys portable airconditioners to keep athletes cool at Paris Games