Olympic great David Rudisha warns climate change could spell end for sporting world records

Kenyan former 800m champion leads efforts from athletes to inspire action at Cop29 summit in Azerbaijan

David Rudisha won 800m gold at the Rio Olympics in 2016, four years after setting the world record at London 2012. Getty Images

Former Olympic champion David Rudisha has warned that athletic feats such as his 800 metre world record could become a thing of the past owing to rising global temperatures, as the sporting world races to inspire action on climate change.

The Kenyan, who won two Olympic gold medals in his career, told The National he was addressing the issue at the Cop29 summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, because "climate change is affecting all of us". Delegates at the talks were told air and water pollution and extreme heat are hindering amateur runners, swimmers and professional athletes.

As ski slopes melt by increasing temperatures and surfing areas are affected by rising sea levels, countries facing a loss of tourism as a "significant source of employment and revenue" plan to join forces in Baku. A call to action for more sustainable practices is to be issued on Wednesday.

Athletes and clubs hope to use the loyalties, passions and the spirit of teamwork to rally people behind the climate cause. "Sport is a unifier," said Rudisha, who set the 800m record with his triumph at the London Olympics in 2012, before claiming gold in Rio four years later.

"I know very well that in sport we have a great connection with our fans. Whenever you are in a championship or any sporting competition, what fans expect is how these athletes are going to perform," he said, as he described climate extremes as a serious threat to the health of competitors.

"It is always very exciting when they do very well in terms of running fast in races, and even breaking world records. With this climate change, we might not be seeing that in the future if we cannot tackle this matter as soon as possible."

Climate risks

Extreme weather has resulted in sailing clubs disappearing, Alpine ski clubs relying on artificial snow, drought wrecking cricket grounds, Australian Open tennis being postponed owing to wildfires, baseball grounds being flooded and beach volleyball courts being lost. Extreme heat has also tested the limits of endurance.

Indian triathlete Pragnya Mohan told Cop29 delegates that "after representing India for almost a decade, I am finding it difficult to train there". She said the experience of going for a simple run amid the country's air pollution felt akin to smoking several cigarettes, while training in 50°C heat is "not just difficult, it is dangerous".

Indian triathlete Pragnya Mohan, left, has said she finds it difficult to train in her home country because of pollution and extreme heat. AFP

"When I train, running through cities, swimming in open waters, cycling on dusty roads, I feel the pulse of Mother Earth. That pulse has become erratic, unpredictable and at times frightening," said Mohan, who has represented India in the Commonwealth Games.

The global sports industry is worth an estimated 1 to 2 per cent of the world economy, with sport also forming the bedrock of local life in areas such as Alpine skiing resorts. A global temperature increase of more than 2°C would put the world's glaciers on a path to destruction, delegates in Baku were warned.

Amid England's milder climate, about 120,000 grassroots football matches a year are cancelled due to flooding, said former Olympic cyclist Chris Boardman, who is now chairman of Sport England. The Paris Olympics this year sought to show its green credentials by fitting solar panels, repurposing old venues and cleaning up the Seine for athletes.

Melting snow in the Alps poses a threat to skiing and the tourism industry. AFP

Fan engagement

In one campaign by English Premier League club Liverpool, Egyptian star Mo Salah posed as James Bond in a video called "licence to recycle" to promote World Earth Month. The clip raised awareness of a club sustainability initiative called The Red Way, Liverpool's director of impact Rishi Jain told delegates at Cop29.

"Mo speaks and the world listens," he added. The video "brought out the personalities of the players, because that's what fans want to see. They want to see players as humans, they want to feel like they know them personally."

Brazilian football star Ronaldinho visited the climate change summit during its first week, with Azerbaijani businessman Adnan Ahmadzada. Away from Baku, Australian men's cricket captain Pat Cummins is another sporting figure who is outspoken on climate change.

A big-name visit could prompt people to think, "Hey, Ronaldinho cares about this, maybe I should care about it too", said Amber Nuttall, a businesswoman known for paddleboarding down the Thames, who runs a booth at Cop29 for adventure company Extreme International.

"A lot of these young people are going surfing, they're climbing mountains. They are also seeing on the front line – there's sewage and there's plastic in the ocean, the glaciers that they normally ski or climb are not there. The snowfall isn't there.

"We cannot just talk in jargonistic terms. They come up with new acronyms all the time. That makes the Cop stories less and less accessible for people and we're in a time where they need to be more and more accessible. So we really try and use popular culture to help to fuel interest in what is happening."