World Cup-bound Norway player backs calls for improved heat protocols from FIFA

A Norway international likely headed to the World Cup is among a group of current or former soccer players backing calls for FIFA to strengthen heat protocols at the tournament.

Morten Thorsby is expected to be in the squad selected by Norway for his country’s first appearance at a men’s World Cup since 1998. In 2020, he founded “We Play Green” — a movement that urges soccer players to engage in environmental and climate issues.

An open letter to FIFA by the New Weather Institute and signed by Thorsby and dozens of other players — none of whom are going to the World Cup — says it is “essential that the best available medical expertise is put to practice” at the tournament being held in the United States, Canada and Mexico from 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.

In an open letter to soccer’s world governing body, dated last week, a group of leading health experts wrote of what they perceive to be “worrying levels of heat stress” to which players could be exposed at the World Cup and said they are “concerned that FIFA’s current guidelines on heat stress mitigation are inadequate and will place players at risk of heat injury.”

Among the things they called for was 6-minute cooling breaks during matches and for locker rooms to have “the right equipment for aggressive pre-game and halftime cooling.”

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Previously, researchers have said that 14 of the 16 cities staging matches at the World Cup will experience “levels of extreme heat, which could be potentially dangerous to players, match officials and possibly spectators.” According to research, wet bulb globe temperatures — which factor humidity, wind speed, sun angle and more — could exceed 90 F (32 C) in the afternoons in Monterrey, Mexico, with Miami cited for its “particularly high humidity.”

FIFA has already created a Heat Illness Mitigation and Management Task Force comprised of medical and operational experts and brought in several heat protocols, such as 3-minute hydration breaks for players midway through each half, regardless of weather conditions, while staff and substitutes will have access to climate-controlled benches at outdoor matches.

Climate conditions have been factored into the match schedule, FIFA has said.

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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup