Last weekend, Cambridge University soared to victory in the annual Oxford-Cambridge Boat Race, with both the Men’s and Women’s teams triumphing over their peers from Oxford. In the last few years, the Boat Race has seen athletes outspoken about the poor quality of the water they row on, so Sport Impact takes a look at how this problem arises, where else sports are affected by environmental issues across the global, and how sports can protect its athletes, teams, and fans, by flipping the game on its head.
Water Quality in the River Thames
A few days before the Boat Race, Environmental charity River Action said water-quality testing showed levels of E. coli bacteria almost three times higher than the Environment Agency’s threshold for “poor” bathing waters. This is despite a relatively dry March and start to April in the UK, whereby water companies are not allowed to spill sewage into rivers in the same way that they are in heavy rains (so systems aren’t overflowed).
In 2024, three members of the University of Oxford rowers suffered stomach bugs before the Boat Race, suggesting that it was caused by sewage levels in the Thames.
Steps are being taken to reduce the health risks from the Boat Race, with British Rowing having guidance in place for areas designated with poor water quality, including to not enter the water, cover blisters, and wear footwear when entering and leaving the boat. In addition, Thames Water (the organisation responsible for water in the Thames Valley) has said it will spend £1.8bn to improve river health in London, although changes will take time to take effect. However, the number of pollution incidents recorded by water companies in England is at a ten-year high, so severe changes are needed.
The Effect of Poor Environmental Conditions on Sports Across the Globe
This isn’t the first time that poor water quality has been in the spotlight over the past twelve months. At the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the triathlon event was postponed, and the marathon swimming familiarisation (training) was cancelled due to concerns over water quality in the River Seine after heavy flooding in the days leading up to the events. This is despite Paris spending $1.5bn cleaning the Seine, and its water quality improving considerably due to this, with the river now safe to swim in during the summer around 70% of the time (it had not been safe to swim in since 1923 – so the mandate brought by the Olympics has made an overwhelmingly positive difference).
Nor is the impact of environmental conditions on athletes limited to water sports. In cricket, concerns around air pollution in Delhi are already being raised ahead of the India – South Africa Test in November 2025. This is because, at that time of year, air pollution in Delhi spikes dramatically due to the burning of crops by farmers in nearby rural areas.
Extreme heat is another environmental condition which impacts sports. At the 2023 Qatar Grand Prix, Esteban Ocon threw up due to the heat, and Logan Sargeant wasn’t able to finish the race due to heat exhaustion.
Flipping the Game: Using Sports to Actively Contribute to Science and Address Environmental Issues
Clearly, sport needs to adapt to ensure its athletes, teams, and fans remain as safe as possible in different environmental conditions. Many sports are doing this, such as the Qatar 2022 Men’s Football World Cup being scheduled at a time of year when it is cooler, or cricket events building in reserve days in case of rainfall, as the DP World ILT20 tournament in the UAE does.
Beyond that, sport can be a catalyst for change in not just implementing measures to make its events safer, but becoming an active participant in raising awareness and understanding about issues related to the environment, as well as reducing its own environmental impact to reduce the likelihood of extreme conditions occurring in the future.
At Sport Impact Summit, Professor Ian Curtis and Dr John Ingram (pictured, above) spoke during the UAE Ministry of Sports Masterclass session about the role of sport in being a catalyst for change, merging the lines between academia and practice. Actionable strategies for embedding sustainability into organisation and sporting frameworks were offered, equipping inspired attendees to make changes in their sports.
One positive example of how this is happening is at World Athletics. Through their Running for Clean Air campaign, World Athletics is combating air pollution around the world, using city marathons as a powerful platform. Air quality is measured for six months at host cities, and data is shared as part of a larger awareness campaign. Marathons have more than a million participants around the world every year, so the opportunity to use these events as a force for good is immense.
By flipping the game on its head, sport can become an active participant in ensuring its athletes, teams, fans, and wider society have reduced risks to extreme environmental conditions. Whether it’s through contributing to creating a healthier natural environment, donating equipment to monitor and preserve areas after events, or adapting events to reduce risks, Sport Impact urges sport to seize this opportunity and safeguard the future of sport and the planet.