Climate change: Health Minister Warken advises amateur athletes to avoid beer and barbecues during heatwaves / "Athletes die every year from record temperatures"

Osnabrück (ots) - Osnabrück. The Federal Ministry of Health and the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) have developed a new heat protection plan for recreational sports, which, among other things, recommends avoiding alcohol and barbecues at summer events. The goal is to "better protect all participants and spectators in recreational sports from heat-related health risks," according to the so-called model heat protection plan, which was obtained by the "Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung" (NOZ). "Anyone who participates in sports must be careful as temperatures rise again," Health Minister Nina Warken told the "NOZ." With the new catalog of measures, clubs and associations can prepare for heat waves. "Whether outdoor or indoor sports: every sport, every association, and every club will be confronted with the effects of climate change in the future," states the heat protection plan. The 13-page document lists numerous recommendations. This includes establishing criteria for the cancellation or interruption of games and competitions in the event of excessively high temperatures, providing shaded areas, buckets or watering cans of cool water, and free sunscreen and sunglasses for children. It is also recommended that particularly exposed sports facilities be closed completely during heat waves, that sick athletes be excluded from training or competition, and that "joint pulse checks" be conducted during training to prevent overexertion due to heat. Further suggestions include extending summer breaks and shortening winter breaks, rescheduling competitions, tournaments, and seasonal highlights to cooler months, and shifting start times to the morning or evening hours. Further specific recommendations of the heat protection plan: At competitions and events in the summer, "the serving of alcoholic, highly sugary, caffeinated, or taurine-containing beverages should be avoided," and when catering, "open fires/grills should be avoided." According to the World Health Organization (WHO), athletes are among the "particularly affected risk groups for climate-related health risks." Health Minister Warken told the "NOZ": "Every year, people with pre-existing conditions, the elderly, but also athletes or people who work outdoors die when temperatures break records. We have to prepare for this." The model heat protection plan for organized sports is just one of many initiatives with which the Ministry of Health is preparing for heat waves. These include plans for pharmacies and psychotherapy practices, as well as concepts for protecting specific risk groups. In addition, a crisis exercise is being prepared together with other federal ministries and the states, the ministry announced. Press contact: Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung Editorial Office Telephone: +49(0)541/310 207 Original content from: Neue Osnabrücker Zeitung, transmitted by news aktuell Original report: https://www.presseportal.de/pm/58964/6047471