IN GLOBAL SURVEY, SPORTSMEN CALL FOR ACTION AGAINST AIR POLLUTI0N OTHER MEASURES TO IMPROVE ENVIRONMENT

IN GLOBAL SURVEY, SPORTSMEN CALL FOR ACTION AGAINST AIR POLLUTI0N,

OTHER MEASURES TO IMPROVE ENVIRONMENT

Issues to be Discussed at UNEP-Supported Forum in Tokyo

TOKYO/NAIROBI, 13 November (UNEP) -- Smog, more intense sunlight and declining ski conditions are among the growing environmental changes worrying sportsmen and women, according to an international survey.  Close to a third of those questioned said they were being forced to alter the way they conduct their sporting activities as a result of environmental concerns.  Many are resorting to the use of higher factor sun creams and wearing long-sleeve shirts to counter what they claim is a higher risk of sunburn.

These are some of the findings from a sport and environment survey conducted by the Global Sports Alliance, an international organization supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP).

Other sports participants are leaving inner city sports grounds for the cleaner air of the countryside to avoid the impact of smog and other forms of pollution.  Worries about chemicals in food and their health impacts are also high on the list of concerns.  A significant number of those polled said they were turning to "natural, organic, foods whenever possible".

The findings will be discussed at the Global Forum for Sport and the Environment 2003, which opens at the ANA Hotel in Tokyo tomorrow.

Environmental experts and key figures in sports federations, including Ruben Acosta, President of the International Volleyball Federation, are taking an active part in charting a greener future for the sporting world.  Leading sportsmen and women, including Greg LeMond, the cyclist and three-time Tour De France winner, and sports coaches like Shigeo Nagashima, Japan's National Baseball Coach, also stepped forward to act as judges in selecting environmental prize winners for the Global Forum.

Vital Messages, a ground breaking 64-page book featuring some of the world's leading athletes and sports people, including tennis star Monica Seles, Japanese footballer Hidetoshi Nakata and New York Yankees baseball star Hideki Matsui, will also be presented, before going on sale in Japan.  The book is a joint effort by UNEP and the Global Sports Alliance.  It is designed to fit into an athlete’s bag and features images from UNEP's “Focus On Your World” photo competition, with quotations from the celebrity sports stars.

The Executive Director of UNEP, Klaus Toepfer, said:  "Sport and the environment are inextricably linked.  Pollution of the air, the land and waterways can have an impact on the enjoyment and performance of amateur and professional athletes alike.  Smog, the result of traffic and other fumes, can make it harder to breathe, which is especially damaging for people like asthmatics.  Chemicals used in and around play areas may also carry risks.  Contaminated coasts and freshwaters may cause ill health for sports people, such as surfers and water sports enthusiasts."

The survey involved almost 4,000 men and women, aged mainly between 10 and 29 years old, for whom sports is a passionate hobby.  It also involved some professional players, coaches, sports manufacturers, operators of sports facilities and sports associations.  While most came from Japan, there were also responses from Europe, North America and Africa.

It was clear that the majority of those polled were keen to see the sporting environment "greened", with over 85 per cent saying they preferred facilities, stadia and pitches that were "natural".

Tatsuo Okada, Executive Director of the Global Sports Alliance, said that by “natural”, the respondents were referring to sites where there were more trees, grasses and other natural features.  Sportsmen and women were becoming increasingly aware of the “heat sink” effect, where man-made materials such as concrete and tarmac tended to absorb heat which could make sporting activities on hot sunny days more uncomfortable and less pleasurable.

Those questioned also said they were willing to act in a more environmentally friendly way to protect their sporting environment with popular measures, including using public transport, rather than driving.

The survey also asked questions about how sports equipment could be made more eco-friendly.  Most respondents said they wanted their equipment to be more durable and were prepared to pay more for this.

Mr. Okada said:  "What they are saying is that equipment which lasts longer is inherently more environmentally-friendly.  It makes sense.  Manufacturing equipment uses natural resources and energy, so the longer the ball, the boot or the skis lasts, the less materials are used in making new ones.  It also would lead to less waste."

The Global forum for Sports and the Environment is part of a series of activities and events being organized by, or in collaboration with, UNEP, in the context of a sport and the environment strategy adopted by UNEP’s Governing Council in February this year.

Next month in Torino, Italy, which will host the 2006 Winter Olympics, UNEP will be the co-sponsor of the World Conference on Sport and the Environment, organized by the International Olympic Committee.

For more information, please contact:  Eric Falt, Spokesperson/Director of UNEP's Division of Communications and Public Information, Nairobi, tel: +254-2-623292, mobile: +254-733-682656, e-mail: eric.falt@unep.org; or Nick Nuttall, UNEP Head of Media, tel: +254-2-623084, mobile: +254-733-632755, e-mail: nick.nuttall@unep.org; or Jason Chare at the Global Sports Alliance in Japan, tel: +81-3-6419-2900, e-mail: Jason_Chare@gsa.or.jp

More information on the Global Forum for Sport and the Environment 2003 (G-ForSE) can be found at http://www.g-forse.com/top/index_e.html.

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