Would you cancel a Sporting Event if the temp was going to be 110F?
By jennybianca
@jennybianca (12912)
Australia
January 5, 2010 11:45pm CST
We have rules and policies in Australia for running any outdoor event in summer, particularly sports.
Usually there is a maximum temperature, if it is reached, the sport has to be cancelled.
In outdoor swimming carnivals, the rules state that if the temp is 38C (100F) or over, the event should be cancelled. If the temp is forecast to be 35C to 38C, the event has to be modified.
My daughter nominated for two swimming carnivals in the north of the state. The temperature is forecast to be 45C to 47C (up to 110F).
Neither swimming carnival is cancelling. I rang them this morning and found out. I couldn't believe it.
People may think that in swimming, the heat doesnt matter. Not true. Most swimmers, age from 7 to 17
years, are only in the water for 5 events, which may take from 30 secs to 2 mins each.
Parents are not in the water at all.
Shade is provided, although only shadecloth, which the sun can still get through.
I am stunned that the organisers are allowing these events to continue. Im talking about 6 hours each day.
What happens in your country if a sporting event is organised in the extreme heat? Or extreme cold for that matter?
2 people like this
8 responses
@saizo6 (2199)
• United States
6 Jan 10
That's a really good question. I was actually going to look up information about things like this. The one thing I know for sure is that the temperature issue is being taken a lot more seriously right now due to an incident that happened last year. We had a high school kid die due to being dehydrated after running in a cross country competition. It was really shocking and sports events have been thoroughly monitored, especially the outdoors ones.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
7 Jan 10
Your example is exactly what Im on about here. It is dangerous to participate in outdoor sporting events in the extreme heat.
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
11 Jan 10
What part of the country do you live in? Sounds hotter than where I live.
@cerebellum (3863)
• United States
6 Jan 10
Here in the US it doesn't get as hot as it does there, at least not in my area, outside of Pgh. Pa. In the summer it still gets pretty hot and the football teams still practice. Sometimes if the heat is real extreme they will cancel practice for a day.
With all the gear they have to wear it would be pretty hot even if the temperature wasn't that bad. They make high school football teams practice also in the heat.If I were the parent of a player I would be very upset. The games are in the fall and winter, so the temperatures aren't that hot, except in the south. They very rarely cancel a game because of the weather. Baseball probably cancels more games if it rains but they play football in the rain and snow.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
7 Jan 10
When I played hockey in my much younger days, they never cancelled even when it was poring with rwain. But I guess that didnt pose a danger to our health.
@cerebellum (3863)
• United States
7 Jan 10
I guess that would have been deck hocky. If it were ice hockey the rain would have melted the rink. Do they even play ice hockey in Australia?
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
7 Jan 10
I know it sounds odd, having a heat policy in a swim meet, but the reality is that in an outdoor meet, the swimmers are only in the pool for a very short while. The rest of the time they spend sitting around. Parents are worse off, and we have to be there.
Where we are going, the temp is likely to get to 110F (in the shade).
@ladym33 (10979)
• United States
6 Jan 10
That is rediculas they should cancel the events if the heat is that high. That is not healthy for the kids or the people there watching the events. That is a health issue and they should be listening to the laws and not having the events in that kind of weather. No sporting event is worth risking people's lives or even having people getting heat exhaustion.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
7 Jan 10
Heat exhaustion, heat stroke; they are all quite dangerous.
@MrKennedy (1978)
•
6 Jan 10
I believe that is a very responsible set of rules and regulations you have in Australia. I believe that there has to be a maximum temperature in which sports can be played before the heat becomes a danger to the players themselves. I have never been a big fan of ridiculously hot climate, and cannot imagine having to engage in heavy physical excercise in such sweltering weather.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
7 Jan 10
You are right, it is a ridiculously hot climate, and the latest heatwave started today.
@ladymetal80 (191)
• United States
6 Jan 10
well I live in upstate ny, so it really doesn't get that hot here, but we look out for the best interest of the players and their families. When it gets too hot out, things get cancelled and rescheduled for a different day. Aren't they worried about things like heat stroke? I mean, after all, they might be in water, but that just makes it even hotter for them....doesn't it?
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
7 Jan 10
My daughter says that the temperature shock from going from extreme heat, to suddenly diving in a pool, can seize up muscles.
What the organisers should be more worried about, is the exposure to extreme sun.
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
6 Jan 10
I would cancel it. I would not chance someone getting overheated. Be sure to keep yourself hydrated. I feel sorry for your daughter, having to compete in that type of weather.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
7 Jan 10
It will be even harder for me, as I wont be allowed to get in the pool.
@zandi458 (28102)
• Malaysia
6 Jan 10
I should say your country's sport officials are well organized and take great concern of the current temperature before commencement of any sport events. It is never done in my country. Once the date is set, the sports event will go on regardless of rain or shine. No wonder many participants collapsed during sports day because of heat stroke. The sun can be very hot and being in the open field can cause one to faint from the heat.
1 person likes this
@jennybianca (12912)
• Australia
6 Jan 10
Thats right. WE have had sports participants become seriously ill with heat stroke.
