A Norwegian soccer star anticipated to make his country’s World Cup roster has joined fellow athletes in pressing FIFA to enhance heat safety measures for the upcoming tournament.
Morten Thorsby, who is likely to represent Norway in their first men’s World Cup appearance since 1998, has signed onto demands for stronger heat protection protocols. Thorsby established “We Play Green” in 2020, an initiative encouraging soccer athletes to take action on environmental and climate concerns.
The Norwegian player joined dozens of other soccer athletes in signing a letter from the New Weather Institute urging FIFA to adopt better heat safety standards. The correspondence emphasizes that “essential that the best available medical expertise is put to practice” during the tournament scheduled across the United States, Canada and Mexico starting June 11.
“We share the concerns outlined by the medical professionals and support their demand that FIFA updates its heat-stress framework before the World Cup,” the letter states.
The athletes’ appeal follows a separate communication from prominent health specialists to soccer’s international governing body last week. These medical experts expressed alarm about “worrying levels of heat stress” that could affect players during the competition and stated they are “concerned that FIFA’s current guidelines on heat stress mitigation are inadequate and will place players at risk of heat injury.”
The health professionals recommended implementing 6-minute cooling intervals during games and ensuring locker facilities include “the right equipment for aggressive pre-game and halftime cooling.”
Research has indicated that 14 out of 16 host cities for World Cup matches will face “levels of extreme heat, which could be potentially dangerous to players, match officials and possibly spectators.” Studies show wet bulb globe temperatures — measurements incorporating humidity, wind speed, sun angle and additional factors — may surpass 90 F (32 C) during afternoon hours in Monterrey, Mexico, while Miami was highlighted for its “particularly high humidity.”
FIFA has established a Heat Illness Mitigation and Management Task Force consisting of medical and operational specialists and implemented various heat-related measures, including mandatory 3-minute hydration pauses for athletes during each half regardless of weather, while team personnel and substitutes will have access to climate-controlled seating areas during outdoor competitions.
The international soccer organization stated that weather conditions have been considered in developing the match schedule.
