Enlarge image
Wales players in the team's game against England on Tuesday.
Wales lost 0-3.
Photo: Stu Forster/Getty Images
Air conditioning and the move to winter should keep the temperatures at the World Cup in Qatar bearable for players and spectators.
That didn't really work out.
It is currently unusually hot in Doha, the capital of the host country.
According to an analysis by the research group and NGO Climate Central, climate change is making a decisive contribution.
Accordingly, the temperatures in Doha over the past five days have been more than three degrees higher than usual at this time.
Due to climate change, the unusual heat has become twice as likely, according to a message that SPIEGEL has received as an e-mail.
"The stress of competing in extreme heat is already affecting a growing number of athletes around the world," said Andrew Pershing, climate science director at Climate Central, according to the document.
Outdoor sports would be more risky for professionals and recreational athletes.
climatic shift determined
The analysis is based on the research group's so-called Climate Shift Index.
It indicates on a scale how much more likely unusually high or low temperatures have become as a result of climate change.
Global warming is having different effects depending on the region.
Overall, extreme weather events such as heat, cold, heavy rain and droughts are becoming more frequent.
According to the evaluation, it has been hotter than usual in Doha every day for the past five days.
According to the analysis on Sunday, climate change had a particularly strong impact on the temperatures at the World Cup, when the German national team also played against Spain and got the chance to reach the round of 16 with a draw.
Japan also played Costa Rica, Belgium played Morocco and Croatia played Canada.
According to the analysis, the temperature that day was 3.3 degrees Celsius above the usual value, reports the NGO, which works to combat climate change.
Global warming had made heat three times more likely.
The temperature in Doha deviated even more sharply on Monday.
It was 3.4 degrees Celsius above normal.
According to the analysis, climate change had made this event twice as likely.
On the day, Cameroon played Serbia, South Korea played Ghana, Brazil played Switzerland and Portugal played Uruguay.
On Tuesday the temperature was 3.1 degrees Celsius above normal, global warming had made the heat event twice as likely.
The only consolation for the players: From the weekend it should cool down a bit.
Temperatures of around 28 degrees can still be expected during the day.
jme
