All Things Policy Climate change & Sport
Feb 10, 2026
Sharda Ugra, veteran sports journalist and commentator on sports policy, discusses climate impacts on sport. She talks about athlete health risks from heat and pollution. She covers grassroots shifts in training, event cancellations due to AQI, and the carbon footprint of sporting goods. She explores green stadium design, schedule disruptions, and policy gaps needing coordinated action.
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Ground-Level Conditions Are Changing
- Climate change is altering grassroots training conditions, making tracks harder and increasing injuries for runners in Kenya and elsewhere.
- Sharda Ugra warns these ground-level changes can weaken talent pipelines that feed elite sport.
Adjust Training Times And Apply Thresholds
- Sporting bodies must acknowledge heat and pollution risks and adjust training schedules to protect athletes.
- Do move sessions to early morning or night and adopt AQI/wet-bulb thresholds for cancelling play.
Ladakh Climate Cup Example
- One Ladakh FC ran Asia's first Sport and Climate Action conference with electric buses and no single-use plastic.
- Teams at altitude struggled with thin air and had to manage oxygen and rest breaks during play.
