Olympics
Sports ministry dispatches AC for Indian athletes as mercury rises in Paris
The feel-like temperature in Paris reportedly rose to 40 degrees increasing athletes' discomfort. The Indian embassy helped in installing the AC at the Games Village.
REPRESENTATIVE PHOTO: Neeraj Chopra takes a break after a workout at the Athletes' Village in Paris. (Credit: Neeraj Chopra/X)
The Indian sports ministry bought and dispatched 40 portable air conditioning units for Indian athletes struggling to cool off in their rooms at the Paris Olympics due to extreme heat in the French capital.
With rain and scorching temperatures a fixture through the first week of the Paris Olympics 2024, the highest temperature recorded in Paris is 36 degrees. Chateauroux, the other venue for the Olympics, is also reeling under the onslaught of heat and humidity.
Since the humidity level is high, the same temperature felt like 40 degrees, local media reported.
In the men's 50m rifle 3-positions event, all eight finalists, including India's bronze-winner Swapnil Kusale, were seen sweating profusely at the Chateauroux shooting range.
"Taking into consideration the issues faced by athletes at the Olympic Games village because of the sudden rise in temperature and humidity in Paris, a co-ordination meeting was held between the Sports Ministry, SAI, IOA, Indian Embassy in France on Friday morning (IST 11 am) and it was decided that the Indian Embassy in France would buy 40 ACs in Paris and provide it at the games village rooms where the Indian athletes are staying," an SAI released stated.
"Consequent to the decision, the Indian Embassy in France has already purchased the ACs, which have already been delivered to the Games village," the release added.
"The ACs are plug and play units and athletes have already started using the ACs. It is expected that with this they will have a more comfortable stay and get better rest which is much needed for a good performance. The cost of all the ACs have been borne by the Sports Ministry," SAI stated further.
Air conditioning is an increasingly hot topic in the Paris Olympics.
Since Paris, in their effort to host what they’re calling the “greenest ever Games,” has decided not to install air conditioning at the Athletes' Village, it became harder for the athletes to cool down in scorching heat.
Though the Athletes' Village has been cooled by a system of water pipes running beneath the floorboards, it was not enough for the athletes to recover from training and matches.
