The hottest Olympics in history is 'torturing' athletes and volunteers, one of Japan's top meteorologists says
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Sam Cooper
Aug 6, 2021, 20:30 IST
Players have been complaining of high heat
Zheng Huansong/Xinhua via Getty Images and Justin Setterfield/Getty Images
A meteorologist has warned the Tokyo weather is 'torturing' the athletes at the hottest Olympics in history.
High temperatures combined with humidity have made conditions particularly brutal at the games.
Collapsing and vomiting athletes have been a common sight at the Tokyo Games.
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Weather conditions at the Olympics are "torturing" athletes, according to a Japanese meteorologist.
Sayaka Mori, who works for the Japanese broadcasting corporation NHK, tweeted that the "oppressive heat is really torturing the Olympians and volunteers in Tokyo."
On Thursday, the temperature in Tokyo hit 93 degrees Fahrenheit but with a humidity level of 62%, conditions felt closer to 109 degrees.
Three storms have also been reported in the Western Pacific and two of them are expected to hit Japan as tropical storms.
While there have been previous Olympics in hot conditions, it is the consistent heat that is causing problems in Tokyo. The Guardian reports that temperatures in Japan have frequently been above 95 degrees Fahrenheit and Tokyo has been 90 degrees Fahrenheit on average.
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Tokyo is regularly experiencing s wet bulb temperature - an index of heat that combines temperature and humidity - of over 90 degrees Fahrenheit, which is "several degrees above Rio, London, Beijing and other Olympics" Oliver Gibson, a senior lecturer at Brunel University told the Guardian.
Throughout the games, athletes have suffered the consequences of the high heat, with collapsing after events and vomiting both common sights.
In his third-round match against Italy's Fabio Fognini, the Russian called a medical timeout numerous times and even asked officials who would be responsible if he died on court.
"I'm fine," Medvedev said at the time.
"I can finish the match but I can die. If I die will the ITF take responsibility?" He was referring to the International Tennis Federation, tennis's governing body.
Even watersports did not provide much relief with swimmers having to swim at 6.30am just to compete in cooler waters.
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