世界杯观察：当炎热成为隐形的对手——这届世界杯如何应对极端高温

它不属于任何一支球队，却让所有的球队、所有的球员都感到头疼，那就是炎热的天气。

It belongs to no team, yet it gives every team and every player a headache — and that is the hot weather.

本届世界杯由美国、加拿大和墨西哥三国共同举办，而比赛的时间，恰好落在北半球的盛夏。

This World Cup is co-hosted by three nations — the United States, Canada and Mexico — and the timing of the matches falls right in the height of the northern hemisphere's summer.

夏天的北美洲，许多地方都酷热难当，气温常常居高不下，太阳更是火辣辣地炙烤着大地。

In summer, many parts of North America are scorching, with temperatures often staying stubbornly high, and the sun blazing down ferociously on the land.

正因为如此，"高温"成了这届世界杯一个绕不开、也躲不掉的话题。

For precisely this reason, "extreme heat" has become a topic at this World Cup that can be neither sidestepped nor avoided.

有气候科学家在研究之后指出，本届世界杯当中，大约每四场比赛，就有一场是在足以威胁健康的高温环境下进行的。

After research, climate scientists have pointed out that at this World Cup, roughly one in every four matches is played in a heat environment severe enough to threaten health.

而在全部十六个举办城市当中，有多达九个城市，被认为属于"高温高风险"地区。

And of all sixteen host cities, as many as nine are considered "extreme-heat-risk" areas.

这些城市包括迈阿密、达拉斯、休斯顿、亚特兰大、堪萨斯城等等，几乎遍布美国南部和中部。

These cities include Miami, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Kansas City and more — spread across almost all of the southern and central United States.

在这些地方，盛夏白天的气温常常超过三十五摄氏度，再加上强烈的太阳直射，人在户外的体感温度会更高。

In these places, high-summer daytime temperatures often exceed 35 degrees Celsius, and with the intense direct sun on top of that, the temperature people feel outdoors is even higher.

试想一下，在这样的环境里连续奔跑、拼抢九十分钟，对身体是何等巨大的考验。

Just imagine what an enormous test it is for the body to run and battle continuously for 90 minutes in an environment like this.

我们普通人即便只是坐着不动，往往也会满身大汗，更何况是在场上全力以赴的职业球员。

We ordinary people are often drenched in sweat even just sitting still, let alone professional players giving their all on the pitch.

高温不仅会让人迅速感到疲惫，更会带来实实在在的健康风险，比如中暑、脱水，甚至是更为严重的状况。

Heat not only makes people quickly feel exhausted, but also brings genuine health risks, such as heatstroke, dehydration, and even more serious conditions.

事实上，在去年的一项类似大赛中，炎热就已经给球员和球迷都带来了不少麻烦，留下了深刻的教训。

In fact, at a similar major tournament last year, the heat had already caused plenty of trouble for both players and fans, leaving a deep lesson behind.

有了那一次的前车之鉴，人们对本届世界杯的高温问题，格外重视，也提前做了更多准备。

With that cautionary precedent, people are paying especially close attention to the heat issue at this World Cup, and have done more preparation in advance.

为了应对炎热，赛事的组织者采取了一系列措施。

To cope with the heat, the organizers have taken a series of measures.

其中最重要的一项，就是所谓的"补水暂停"，也就是在比赛进行到一半时短暂停下，让球员及时补充水分。

The most important of these is the so-called "hydration break" — that is, briefly stopping when the match reaches its halfway point to let players promptly take on water.

在过去，通常只有当气温超过某个特定标准时，才会临时安排这样的暂停。

In the past, such a break was usually only arranged on a temporary basis when the temperature exceeded a certain specific standard.

国际足联一般把这个触发标准，设定在一个相对较高的温度上。

FIFA generally sets this trigger standard at a relatively high temperature.

然而，代表球员利益的组织却认为，这个标准定得太高了，应该在更低的温度时，就开始对球员加以保护。

However, the organization representing players' interests believes this standard is set too high, and that protection of players should begin at a lower temperature.

正是在各方持续的呼声之下，本届世界杯做出了明确的改变。

It was precisely under the sustained voices from all sides that this World Cup made a clear change.

这一次，无论当天天气是否炎热，每个半场都会固定安排一次补水暂停。

This time, regardless of whether the day's weather is hot or not, each half has a fixed hydration break.

这短短的几分钟，看上去并不起眼，但对场上的球员而言，却往往至关重要。

These short few minutes may seem unremarkable, but for the players on the pitch they are often vitally important.

喝上一口水，擦一把汗，他们就能恢复一部分体力，也能让注意力重新集中起来。

A sip of water, a wipe of sweat, and they can recover part of their stamina and refocus their concentration.

要知道，在高温之下，球员的体能消耗得格外快，注意力也很容易随之下降。

You should know that, under high heat, players burn through their physical energy especially fast, and their concentration easily drops along with it.

有了这样的固定暂停，比赛的质量和球员的安全，都能在一定程度上得到保障。

With such a fixed break, both the quality of the match and the players' safety can be safeguarded to a certain degree.

除此之外，组织者还把相当一部分比赛，安排在了傍晚甚至夜间进行。

Beyond this, the organizers have also scheduled a considerable portion of matches in the evening or even at night.

当太阳落山之后，气温会明显下降，球员踢起来自然会舒服许多。

Once the sun has set, temperatures drop noticeably, and the players naturally find it much more comfortable to play.

与此同时，还有一些球场本身就带有顶棚，甚至装有空调，场内十分凉爽。

At the same time, some stadiums have roofs of their own, and even air conditioning, making the interior very cool.

在这样的球场里比赛，几乎不必再担心高温带来的影响。

Playing in a stadium like this, there's almost no need to worry any more about the effects of the heat.

不过，真正的难题在于，并不是所有的比赛，都能被安排在凉快的时段和场地。

However, the real difficulty is that not all matches can be arranged at cool times and venues.

仍然有相当多的比赛，不得不在白天的烈日之下进行。

There are still quite a few matches that must be played under the daytime blazing sun.

有人或许会问：那为什么不干脆把所有比赛，统统安排到晚上去呢？

Someone might ask: then why not simply arrange all the matches at night?

原因其实非常现实：世界各地的球迷，作息时间各不相同。

The reason is actually very practical: fans around the world keep different hours.

把一部分比赛放在白天，往往正是为了照顾欧洲、亚洲等地观众的收看时间。

Putting some matches during the day is often precisely to accommodate the viewing times of audiences in Europe, Asia and elsewhere.

可是这样一来，场上的球员，就不得不在一天当中最炎热的时段披挂上阵。

But this means the players on the pitch have no choice but to suit up at the hottest period of the day.

也正因为如此，不少球员和专家都公开表达了他们的担忧。

And precisely for this reason, many players and experts have publicly expressed their concerns.

他们纷纷呼吁，未来在制定赛程时，应该把球员的健康，放在一个更加重要的位置。

They have called, one after another, for player health to be placed in a more important position when scheduling future tournaments.

也有人具体建议，把补水暂停的时间再适当延长，甚至把中场休息的时间也拉长一些。

Some have made specific suggestions: extend the hydration breaks a bit more, and even lengthen the half-time break too.

还有人提出，最炎热的那几场比赛，应该尽量避开正午前后这段最难熬的时段。

Others have proposed that the hottest matches should, as far as possible, avoid the most punishing period around midday.

而值得我们注意的是，受到高温影响的，远远不只是场上的球员。

And what's worth our attention is that those affected by the heat are far from only the players on the pitch.

那些专程赶到现场看球的球迷，同样需要长时间坐在闷热的看台之上。

The fans who travel specially to watch in person likewise have to sit for long stretches in stifling stands.

有些看台并没有遮阳的顶棚，太阳直接照射下来，温度高得惊人。

Some stands have no shade-providing roof, with the sun beating straight down and the temperature shockingly high.

他们同样面临着中暑的风险，因此也需要多多喝水、注意防暑降温。

They likewise face the risk of heatstroke, and so also need to drink plenty of water and take care to guard against and cool down from the heat.

为此，球场里通常都会准备充足的饮用水，并专门设置一些可以乘凉、避暑的区域。

For this, stadiums usually prepare ample drinking water and specially set up some areas where people can cool off and escape the heat in the shade.

说到这里，我们或许会对这届世界杯，多出一层新的理解。

At this point, we might gain a new layer of understanding of this World Cup.

在这片绿茵场上，每一支球队真正的对手，其实都不只是另一支球队而已。

On this green pitch, every team's true opponent is, in fact, not only another team.

炎热的天气，已经成了所有人必须共同面对的一道挑战。

The hot weather has become a challenge that everyone must face together.

谁能在高温之下，更好地保持自己的状态与节奏，谁往往就更有机会笑到最后。

Whoever can better maintain their form and rhythm under the heat often has more of a chance to have the last laugh.

所以，当我们坐在屏幕前观看比赛时，也不妨在心里多一份理解与敬意。

So when we sit in front of our screens watching the matches, we might as well hold a little more understanding and respect in our hearts.

那些顶着烈日、依旧在场上奋力奔跑的球员，确实非常了不起。

Those players who, under the blazing sun, still run their hearts out on the pitch are truly remarkable.

因为他们要战胜的，不仅仅是对面的对手，还有那让人几乎难以忍受的炎热。

Because what they have to overcome is not only the opponent across from them, but also a heat that is almost unbearable.

从某种意义上说，能在这样的天气里坚持到终场哨响，本身就已经值得尊敬。

In a sense, simply holding on until the final whistle in weather like this is itself already worthy of respect.

这也在提醒着我们，足球从来都不只是技术与战术的较量，有时候，它还要面对大自然的考验。

This is also a reminder to us that football has never been only a contest of technique and tactics — sometimes, it must also face the test of nature.

当然，无论比赛多么精彩，最重要的，始终都应该是安全。

Of course, no matter how thrilling the match, the most important thing should always be safety.

无论是对球员，还是对球迷，健康永远都比一场比赛的胜负，来得更加重要。

Whether for players or for fans, health is forever more important than the outcome of a single match.

我们衷心希望，这届世界杯里的每一个人，都能在尽情享受足球的同时，平平安安。

We sincerely hope that everyone at this World Cup can be safe and sound while enjoying football to the fullest.

同时，这届世界杯所遇到的高温难题，也给未来留下了值得思考的问题。

At the same time, the extreme-heat problem encountered at this World Cup also leaves behind a question worth pondering for the future.

随着气候变得越来越热，今后的大型体育赛事，恐怕都要更加认真地对待天气这个"隐形的对手"。

As the climate grows hotter and hotter, major sporting events to come will likely have to take this "invisible opponent" — the weather — far more seriously.

从某种角度看，今天我们在球场上看到的这些应对办法，也许正是为将来积累的宝贵经验。

From a certain angle, the coping measures we see on the pitch today are perhaps precisely valuable experience being accumulated for the future.

好了，关于世界杯与高温天气的话题，我们今天就聊到这里，下期再见。

Alright, that's where we'll leave the topic of the World Cup and extreme heat for today. Until next time.