Athletes see climate change as threatening their sports and their health. Some are speaking up

BAKU, Azerbaijan (AP) — Pragnya Mohan has been a professional triathlete for nearly a decade, but summers in her native India are now so hot that she can’t train there anymore. She escaped the heat to train in the United Kingdom, but worries about a day when a warming world kills her sport entirely.

American discus thrower Sam Mattis described temperatures as high as 44 Celsius (111 Fahrenheit) at the 2021 U.S. Olympic trials in Eugene, Oregon, causing some fans, officials and athletes to pass out. And New Zealand soccer player Katie Rood recalled training in heat chambers to prepare for the Tokyo Olympics, and warmups cut short in high heat and humidity.

All three spoke at the United Nations climate summit in Baku, Azerbaijan to talk about the threat that climate change poses to them, to fans and to sport itself. With billions of fans worldwide, they're among athletes and leagues trying to get more people to care, and act, on climate change.

“In the future, if climate change is not addressed and is not thoughtfully handled, triathlons can cease to exist,” Mohan said at a panel discussion.

It's not all about heat. Mohan noted this year's Paris Olympics had to delay some triathlon events because heavy rains — which have increased as a warming atmosphere holds more water — contributed to high bacteria levels in the Seine River.

Some top soccer clubs have gotten together in a climate action alliance aimed at reducing emissions and inspiring fans to act on climate change. One of those is La Liga club Real Betis. Rafael Muela Pastor, general manager of the club's foundation, said at another panel in Baku that soccer is “the most powerful and massive sport in the world” and it's crucial that “we have to do something.”

“We have a super power and we have a responsibility with that,” he said.

Leslie Mabon, a lecturer on environmental systems at the United Kingdom's Open University, said athletes can raise awareness on issues like global warming, but the most transformative activism often comes from elsewhere.

“I do think athletes can move the needle, but sometimes it’s away from the very highest levels,” said Mabon. “The financial implications of what’s at stake do make it very difficult, and particularly the governing bodies — the leagues, the FIFAs of this world — it’s very hard to get them to take action.”

FIFA — the governing body for world soccer — was unmoved by concerns about heat and human rights in holding the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, a country criticized for its treatment of migrant workers, among other issues. And at times, outwardly positive actions from sports leaders can be little more than greenwashing.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino attended COP29 and posted on Instagram about extending a partnership with Pacific Island nations to foster “climate-resilient football development” and raise awareness about climate change. That came just months after FIFA signed a sponsorship deal with Saudi Arabia's state oil giant Aramco.

Women soccer players from around the world signed an open letter urging FIFA to end the deal, citing both the country's record on the rights of women and LGBTQ+ people and the impact of fossil fuel production on climate change.

FIFA did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press.

“It’s very hard for anything that comes from the top levels to be taken seriously or to be taken credibly when you still have these kind of deals in place,” Mabon said.

Climate change is also making sports more expensive and widening disparities. Jessica Murfree, assistant professor of sport administration at the University of North Carolina, said athletes will have to travel farther and spend more to train and compete as some places become incompatible with sport because it's too hot or there isn't enough snow.

“That’s going to have a massive impact on athletes and athlete hopefuls,” she said. “It drives a bigger socioeconomic wedge between the haves and the have-nots, which then becomes a justice issue.”

Sports are seeking to adapt to a hotter planet. Sometimes competitions get moved to different places, or starting times get shifted to cooler parts of the day. Then there's technology: Qatar spent billions to air-condition stadiums at its World Cup to keep fans and players cool.

But sports can't air-condition its way out of the climate crisis, said Rood, the New Zealand soccer player.

The energy it requires “is a huge cost to the environment," she said in an interview, adding: "It’s not just the isolated events that happen once or twice a year. It’s the training and the lead-up ... those conditions can’t necessarily be created every time.”

And that's concerning for Tina Muir, a former elite runner from the United Kingdom who talks about the threat of climate change through the business she founded, Running for Real. Athletes are conditioned to push themselves beyond their limits, she said.

“It's going to be almost like a war of attrition for many athletes,” Muir said. “It's who can handle these tough conditions the most. ... but also becomes a bit of a safety game, being able to tough it out but doing long-term damage to yourself in the process.”

Pineda reported from Los Angeles.

The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment.

Fatih Terim, football manager and former player, speaks during an event on the Football Clubs Alliance for Climate at the COP29 U.N. Climate Summit, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Rishi Jain, director of impact for FC Liverpool, speaks during an event on the Football Clubs Alliance for Climate at the COP29 U.N. Climate Summit, Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP Photo/Sergei Grits)

Indian triathlete Pragnya Mohan, speaks during a session on sports and climate action at the COP29 U.N. Climate Summit, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Katie Rood, New Zealand soccer player, attends a session on sports for climate action during the COP29 U.N. Climate Summit, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

Indian triathlete Pragnya Mohan, from left, David Rudisha, former Kenyan runner, and Katie Rood, New Zealand soccer player, attend a session on sports for climate action during the COP29 U.N. Climate Summit, Monday, Nov. 18, 2024, in Baku, Azerbaijan. (AP Photo/Peter Dejong)

FILE - New Zealand's Katie Rood warms up prior to an international friendly soccer match against South Korea at Goyang stadium in Goyang, South Korea, Nov. 30, 2021. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man, File)

FILE - Sam Mattis, of the United States, competes during the men's discus throw qualification at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Aug. 5, 2024, in Saint-Denis, France. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader, File)

FILE - Pragnya Mohan, of India, competes in the women's individual triathlon at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, July 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Rui Vieira, File)

FORESTVILLE, Calif. (AP) — A major storm moving through Northern California on Thursday dropped heavy snow and record rain, flooding some areas, after killing two people and knocking out power to hundreds of thousands in the Pacific Northwest.

Forecasters warned the risk of flash flooding and rockslides would continue, and scores of flights were canceled at San Francisco's airport.

In Washington, more than 204,000 people — mostly in the Seattle area — remained without power as crews worked to clear streets of electrical lines, fallen branches and debris. Utility officials said the outages, which began Tuesday, could last into Saturday.

Meanwhile on the East Coast, where rare wildfires have raged, New York and New Jersey welcomed much-needed rain that could ease the fire danger for the rest of the year.

The National Weather Service extended a flood watch into Saturday for areas north of San Francisco as the region was inundated by this season's strongest atmospheric river — a long plume of moisture that forms over an ocean and flows through the sky over land.

The system roared ashore Tuesday as a “ bomb cyclone,” which occurs when a cyclone intensifies rapidly. It unleashed fierce winds that toppled trees onto roads, vehicles and homes, killing at least two people in Washington.

Communities in Washington opened warming centers offering free internet and device charging. Some medical clinics closed because of power outages.

“I’ve been here since the mid-’80s. I haven’t seen anything like this,” Trish Bloor, a city of Issaquah official, said while surveying damaged homes.

Up to 16 inches (about 41 centimeters) of rain was forecast in southwestern Oregon and California's northern counties through Friday.

Santa Rosa saw 6.5 inches (16.5 centimeters) of rain in the last 24 hours, marking the wettest day on record since 1998.

The Sonoma County Airport, in the wine country north of San Francisco, got more than 11 inches (28 centimeters) within the last 48 hours and the unincorporated town of Venado had about 12.7 inches (32.3 centimeters) in the same period.

Meghan Nelson, her fiancé and their corgi had to escape to a hotel Thursday after their home’s basement and the street it’s on in Fulton, California, flooded. She said they moved their belongings upstairs and put their furniture on bricks, but they don't know if they’ll be able to get back tomorrow if there’s more rain.

“Luckily we’re safe for right now. So that’s a good thing,” she said.

In nearby Forestville, one person was hurt when a tree fell on a house. Small landslides were reported across the North Bay, including one on State Route 281 on Wednesday that caused a car crash.

Daniela Alvarado said calls to her and her father’s Sonoma County-based tree business have nearly tripled in recent days, with people reaching out about trimming or removing trees.

“We feel sad, scared, but also ready for action,” Alvarado said.

Rain slowed somewhat, but “persistent heavy rain will enter the picture again by Friday morning,” the weather service said. “We are not done!”

Flash flooding, rockslides and debris flows were possible, especially where hillsides were loosened by recent wildfires, officials warned. Scott Rowe, a hydrologist with the weather service in Sacramento, said so far the ground has been able to absorb the rain in areas where the Park Fire burned this summer.

“It’s not necessarily how much rain falls; it’s how fast the rain falls,” Rowe said.

Santa Rosa Division Chief Fire Marshal Paul Lowenthal said 100 vehicles were stuck for hours in the parking lot of a hotel and medical center after being swamped by thigh-high waters from a flooded creek.

A winter storm watch was in place for the northern Sierra Nevada above 3,500 feet (1,070 meters), with 15 inches (38 centimeters) of snow possible over two days. Wind gusts could top 75 mph (121 kph) in mountain areas, forecasters said.

Sugar Bowl Resort, north of Lake Tahoe near Donner Summit, picked up a foot (30 centimeters) of snow overnight, marketing manager Maggie Eshbaugh said Thursday. She said the resort will welcome skiers and boarders on Friday, the earliest opening date in 20 years, “and then we’re going to get another whopping of another foot or so on Saturday, so this is fantastic.”

Another popular resort, Palisades Tahoe, said it is also opening Friday, five days ahead of schedule.

The storm already dumped more than a foot of snow along the Cascades in Oregon by Wednesday night, according to the weather service.

More than a dozen schools closed in the Seattle area Wednesday, and some opted to extend the closures through Thursday.

Covington Medical Center southeast of Seattle postponed elective surgeries and diverted ambulances after losing power and having to rely on generators Tuesday night into Wednesday, according to Scott Thompson, spokesperson for MultiCare Health System. Nearby MultiCare clinics closed Wednesday and Thursday after losing power.

Ben Gibbard, lead singer of the indie rock bands Death Cab for Cutie and Postal Service, drove from his Seattle neighborhood Thursday morning to the woods of Tiger Mountain for his regular weekday run, but trees were blocking the trail.

“We didn’t get hit that hard in the city,” he said. “I just didn’t assume it would be this kind of situation out here. Obviously you feel the most for people who had their homes partially destroyed by this.”

Washington Gov. Jay Inslee thanked utility crews for toiling around the clock. It could take weeks to assess the scope of the damage and put a dollar figure on it, he said in a statement, and after that “we’ll know whether we will be able to seek federal assistance.”

In California, there were reports of more than 8,000 power outages.

Authorities limited vehicle traffic on part of northbound Interstate 5 between Redding and Yreka due to snow, according to California's Department of Transportation. Officials also shut down a 2-mile (3.2-kilometer) stretch of the scenic Avenue of the Giants, named for its towering coast redwoods, due to flooding.

About 550 flights were delayed and dozens were canceled Thursday at San Francisco International Airport, according to tracking service FlightAware.

The Northeast, meanwhile, got a much-needed shot of precipitation, providing a bit of respite in a region plagued by wildfires and dwindling water supplies. More than 2 inches (5 centimeters) was expected by Saturday morning north of New York City, with snow mixed in at higher elevations.

Weather service meteorologist Brian Ciemnecki in New York City, which this week saw its first drought warning in 22 years, said “any rainfall is going to be significant” but the storm won't be enough to end the drought.

Har reported from San Francisco and Weber from Los Angeles. Associated Press writers Hallie Golden and Gene Johnson in Seattle; Martha Bellisle in Issaquah, Washington; Sarah Brumfield in Washington, D.C.; and Michael Hill in Albany, New York, contributed.

Big Chico Creek swirls by a swimming area at One Mile Recreation, runoff from Tuesday's rain and melting snow created flooding concerns as an atmospheric river storm dumped significant precipitation in Chico, Calif., Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

The Baer family, Larry, from left, Tiffany and their daughter Chloe stop to see Big Chico Creek swirling by a swimming area at One Mile Recreation Area, as runoff from Tuesday's rain and melting snow created flooding concerns from an atmospheric river storm that dumped significant precipitation in Chico, Calif., Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

A car is left stranded on a flooded road during a storm Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Windsor, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

A passenger plane taxies on a water-soaked runway at San Francisco Airport while passengers wait for flights on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Andy Bao)

A pedestrian walks along a flooded street during a storm Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Santa Rosa, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Santa Rosa firefighters attend to a submerged car in a flooded street during a storm Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Santa Rosa, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

A pickup truck makes its way through a flooded street in Santa Rosa, Calif. Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Pedestrians cross a flooded street during a storm Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Santa Rosa, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

A member of an emergency crew walks in knee-deep flooded street during a storm Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Santa Rosa, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

A rescue team help a stranded motorist in a flooded street during a storm Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Santa Rosa, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

A pedestrian walks along a flooded street during a storm Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Santa Rosa, Calif. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Workers clear walking paths with snow blowers during a storm Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort in Norden, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)

A worker clears a road with a snow blower during a storm Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort in Norden, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)

A worker scoops snow from a sidewalk during a storm Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort in Norden, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)

Snow is cleared from a road by tractor Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, at Donner Ski Ranch near Truckee, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)

A lone skier rides on a lift Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort in Norden, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)

A downed tree destroys a vehicle and a property during a storm, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Forestville, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Snow accumulates in front of a welcome center during a storm Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, on Donner Summit near Truckee, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)

Salvador Garza shovels snow from the front of his shop Crystal Tones in Mt. Shasta, Calif.,, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, where runoff from rain and melting snow has begun to create standing water after an atmospheric river storm dumped significant precipitation in the area since Tuesday evening. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

A worker clears the entrance to a building with a snow blower during a storm, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort in Norden, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)

Flood water is seen across State Route 254 near Redcrest, Calif., Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024. (Stephen Lam/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

A passenger plane taxies on a water soaked runway at San Francisco Airport while passengers wait for flights on Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Andy Bao)

Cars are covered in snow during a storm Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Soda Springs, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)

Snow comes down on trees and a road during a storm Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort in Norden, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)

A downed tree lands over a property during a storm, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Forestville, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

A person is blocked by a downed tree during a storm, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Forestville, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

A downed tree lands over a property during a storm, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Forestville, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

A vineyard is flooded during a storm, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Forestville, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

Emergency crews assess the damage from a downed tree on a property, Thursday, Nov. 21, 2024, in Forestville, Calif. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez)

The drive-thru area of a Taco Bell restaurant is damaged by a fallen tree Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Issaquah, Wash., after a "bomb cyclone'"storm brought high winds to the area. (AP Photo/Manuel Valdes)

A woman was killed after a tree fell on her home during Tuesday night's "bomb cyclone" in severe weather in Bellevue, Wash. (Nick Wagner/The Seattle Times via AP)

People walk their dog as cars maneuver around downed power lines and trees caused by a "bomb cyclone" storm, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Bellevue, Wash. (Nick Wagner/The Seattle Times via AP)

People carrying umbrellas while visiting the Golden Gate Bridge are seen through a heart on the window at the Round House Cafe in San Francisco, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

A pedestrian carrying an umbrella walks in front of the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (AP Photo/Jeff Chiu)

Motorists negotiate the snow along I-80 during a storm Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Truckee, Calif. (AP Photo/Brooke Hess-Homeier)

Truckers hole up along the side of I-5 to let the storm pass before the highway is reopened in Weed, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Truck driver Kirill Foken shovels a trench alongside his truck's tires to free it up as he awaits for I-5 to reopen in Weed, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

Truck driver Harry Singh of Seattle looks down Shastina Drive where several dozen big rigs were gathered after being stuck overnight in Weed, Calif., Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024. (Carlos Avila Gonzalez/San Francisco Chronicle via AP)

A Pacific Gas & Electric worker pauses while sawing a tree that toppled into power lines during heavy rains on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in the Occidental community of unincorporated Sonoma County, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

Firefighters help a woman from a home after a tree toppled onto it during heavy rains on Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in the Forest Hills community of unincorporated Sonoma County, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)

A truck crosses a flooded road Wednesday, Nov. 20, 2024, in Santa Rosa, Calif. (AP Photo/Noah Berger)