Air quality monitoring at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games

In its commitment to environmental awareness and management, Kunak Technologies, in partnership with Acoem and World Athletics, has deployed measuring devices to monitor the quality of the air breathed by athletes and spectators during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, which kick off today.

Air pollution significantly affects physical activity. High pollution levels at the 2014 Beijing Marathon affected athletic performance, highlighting the need for thorough air quality monitoring.

World Athletics, the organisation that oversees competitive athletics globally, introduced the Running for Clean Air initiative, funded by the Clean Air Fund, in 2018 to raise awareness of the importance of clean air during sporting events.

Since 2018, World Athletics has depended on Kunak’s solutions to monitor air quality at many international sporting events. Tokyo 2020 was the first Olympic Games in which air quality was analysed.

Among the areas of Paris most affected by air pollution are the city's peripheral areas, including where the Olympic Village of Saint-Denis is situated and where the athletes will be accommodated. For the first time, the Olympic marathon event will take place in the French capital at night to avoid the high daytime temperatures of summer and the significant air pollution caused by urban traffic.

Kunak's measuring devices will monitor air quality at various sporting competition venues at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. The state-of-the-art sensors will measure every critical parameter, from particulate matter to ozone levels, to curtail pollution threats that could affect athletes.

12 Kunak air quality monitoring stations at strategic locations in all Olympic venues will provide an overview of air quality during the event. The continuous, real-time data they provide will help event organisers minimise the dangers of airborne contaminants, especially for athletes, who inhale ten times more during intense physical activity.

The data analysis will facilitate the implementation of adaptation strategies, such as amending itineraries and competition schedules to avoid periods of high pollution, thereby mitigating its effects. One example was the women's marathon at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games when the race was brought forward by an hour because of adverse weather conditions. World Athletics implemented this action thanks to data analysis provided by Kunak's measurement technology.