South Korea footballers urge safety after extreme heat statistics

South Korean professional footballers urged stronger protections against extreme heat ⁠after a survey by the Korea Pro-Footballers Association (KPFA) showed many players hit by dehydration, dizziness and temporary lapses in consciousness during competition.

It found 86.2% of respondents suffered significant physical strain while playing in the heat, among ⁠536 players from South Korea’s K League and WK League surveyed during a summer when pitch temperatures exceeded 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit).

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Nearly two-thirds (64.7%) complained of dizziness during matches or training, while 56.6% had severe dehydration and 13% suffered lapses in consciousness.

“The fact that over 70 players experienced dizziness, dehydration, and even temporary loss of consciousness is a ‌glaring red flag,” KPFA President Lee Keun-ho, a former national team player, said in a statement.

The union called on the Korea Football Association (KFA), K League and WK League to introduce mandatory heat protocols, saying the current safeguards do not sufficiently protect players.

The KFA told the Reuters news agency that player health and safety remained its “absolute top priority” and that it fully acknowledged the concerns raised by the players’ union.

The governing body said it was taking steps to reduce heat-related risks, including adjusting match schedules and enforcing cooling-break protocols during ⁠games, while also noting some logistical challenges.

“While we face certain practical constraints, including ⁠stadium availability and tight scheduling limitations, KFA is continuously monitoring conditions to make every possible effort to prevent any heat-related incidents,” South Korea’s governing body said in a statement on Friday.

Almost half the respondents said they were dissatisfied with the current cooling-break system that usually ⁠gives players a break of just more than three minutes once temperatures reach a specified threshold.

Nearly 90% supported changes to existing match operations during extreme heat. More ⁠than half favoured later kickoff times, while others backed postponing or cancelling ⁠matches when heat advisories are in effect.

The union said women players often face additional challenges, with a number of matches scheduled during the hottest part of the day on artificial surfaces and at venues without adequate air-conditioned changing facilities.

“Playing under the scorching sun on artificial turf that ‌traps and radiates heat is essentially forcing athletes into a furnace,” KPFA Women’s President Ji So-yun said.

“Just as professional baseball proactively cancels games for the heat, football needs to stop mechanically following a rigid schedule and ‌actually ‌prioritise player health and safety.”

The KPFA said the findings should also prompt a broader discussion on South Korea’s football calendar, with many players supporting a switch to an autumn-spring schedule.

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