Sports ministry sends 40 AC units for Indian Olympic athletes
What's the story
The Indian Sports Ministry has dispatched 40 portable air conditioning units for Indian athletes participating in the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The move aims to alleviate discomfort caused by heat and humidity in athletes' rooms at the Olympic Games Village.
"The Ministry of Sports decided to provide 40 ACs in the Games Village rooms where the Indian athletes are staying," a ministry source told PTI.
The AC units are plug-and-play devices and athletes have already started using them.
Heat concerns
Soaring temperatures challenge athletes at Paris Olympics
Paris and Chateauroux, the host cities for major events of the 2024 Olympic Games, have seen temperatures reaching a scorching 40 degrees Celsius.
This extreme heat was particularly noticeable during events like the men's 50m rifle 3-positions, where all eight finalists, including India's bronze-winner Swapnil Kusale, were observed sweating heavily at the Chateauroux shooting range.
Cooling solutions
Initial cooling measures fail to convince Olympic contingents
The organizers of the Paris Olympics initially decided against using air conditioning in an effort to reduce the Games's carbon footprint.
Instead, they opted for an underfloor cooling mechanism and built-in insulation at the Games Village.
However, these measures failed to convince several contingents.
The USA team brought their own portable air conditioners due to these concerns, and reports suggest that other countries have also purchased portable AC units to manage heat conditions.