A large brown cloud welcomed the Spain and Argentina teams in New York. The hundred wildfires currently burning in southern Canada have covered the Big Apple with smoke, and the air quality has reached worrying levels that could jeopardize the World Cup final taking place this Sunday in New Jersey.
Read more The DAO of the Civil Guard: “It is my superiors who have decided that I remain in the position”
The rain expected this Saturday could help clear the air, but for now the situation is complicated and even the mayor of New York has asked citizens to limit outdoor time. The combination of smoke with the high temperatures hitting the city during a heatwave, reaching 34 degrees, is a dangerous mix for public health and even more so for high-level sports practice.
Also read
“They are elite athletes who move enormous amounts of air through their lungs. They should not train outdoors when air quality reaches dangerous levels. I would look for an indoor facility with clean air,” argued Dr. Courtney Howard, an emergency physician and representative of the Global Climate and Health Alliance, after Spain’s outdoor training in East Hanover under a dense layer of smoke.
Although FIFA does not have protocols on air quality, if we take as reference what US Soccer states, with the levels reached in recent hours, any outdoor sporting event should be suspended. AirNow is the US public agency responsible for monitoring the situation through an Air Quality Index (AQI).
Read more The Ombudsman urges to guarantee school colonies and calls for regulation to Education
US Soccer recommends suspending a match with this air quality
US Soccer indicates that the AQI “should be read one hour before teams begin warming up” and according to the reading there are different scenarios. From 100 it considers adding hydration breaks and above 150 teams should be equipped with oxygen on the benches. Between 180-200 the suspension of the match should be considered with medical services and above 200, cancel or postpone the match. This Thursday afternoon, the air in New York reached a level of 265 points.
With two days left until the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, FIFA is monitoring the situation on site. MetLife Stadium, the venue for the final, is located on the outskirts of the Big Apple, in New Jersey, and is not covered, so they could not shield the space by closing the stadium. However, weather forecasts indicate rain on Saturday and even Sunday morning. Showers that would help clear the air a bit and improve its quality, allowing the match to be played without problems. But everything could change depending on the wind, experts warn. The World Cup final, pending the sky.
Read more Investigate the operator of Trump’s ‘teleprompter’ for illegal betting on his speeches
