Out in Perth’s eastern suburbs, scores of young basketballers have just been told their game has been cancelled. It’s too hot to play on the outdoor courts in Mundaring which are baking in the summer heat and hot easterlies.

It’s not the first time during the summer competition games have been called off after the on-court temperature soared past 40 degrees.

It’s a scenario being echoed across the gamut of sporting pursuits traditionally played in summer. Cricket. Tennis. Horse racing.

“Without urgent and decisive action, Australia’s summer of outdoor sport could become unplayable,” Climate Council director of research Martin Rice said.

“In Perth, over the past 30 years the number of heatwave days have increased by 50 per cent.

“In January last year, Perth sweltered through a record-breaking six days of temps over 40 degrees.

“Climate change is increasing the intensity and frequency of severe heatwaves, putting athletes and spectators in increasing danger.”

Hotter summers will be particularly harsh for cricketers who spend many hours and days out in the sun with players donning thick pads, gloves and helmets that impede ventilation.

“Major summer sporting events in Australia ... will become unplayable in their current format.”

Climate Council director of research Martin Rice

WA Cricket state medical officer Tom Hill said there were guidelines for playing in extreme heat conditions which include recommendations for time of play, appropriate clothing, provision of water and ice, player rest and rotation and medical support.

“Heat stress is becoming a bigger and bigger issue for all sports from tennis to lawn bowls and we’re trying to get ahead of it,” he said.

“We’ve got our own protocols that hold us up through the domestic and international comps, but we also feed them down to community cricket.”

The risk to junior cricketers playing at a community level was arguably higher than elite cricket matches, said Hill; there was no doctor sitting on the sideline and children were more susceptible to heat stress.

“Kids don’t thermo-regulate as well as adults do, they need to plan ahead and hydrate well before a game,” he said.

Cricket Australia developed its own heat stress risk index which uses temperature, wind speed and temperature to gauge the danger to players.

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Once it gets to level four they look at extra drink breaks; anything greater than 10 they start talking about suspending the match.

Basketball WA deputy chief executive Evan Stewart said the organisation had its own heat policy which included abandoning games when the on-court temperature reached 40 degrees.

“Most outdoor court surfaces are reflective of heat and the on-court temperature will often be greater than the ambient temperature when they are in direct sunlight,” he said.

“When the on-court temperature reaches 30 degrees Celsius, competition managers should be looking at implementing extra breaks, ensure water and ice stations are available and reduce game times if deemed necessary.

“Basketball WA encourages sun-safe practices such as scheduling outdoor activities outside the hours of 10am and 3pm and the use of natural and man-made shade to protect participants and spectators to the fullest extent possible.”

The heatwaves also threaten spectators, whether they are watching it on the sidelines or kicking back and watching it on the telly.

Racing and Wagering WA cancelled five race meetings last summer due to the extreme heat in December, January and February.

A raft of other meetings were amended due to the hot weather – starting earlier or later.

Head of Veterinary Services Dr Judith Medd said they had well-established hot weather policies.

“When the forecast maximum temperature is 38 degrees or higher, stewards change the start time of the race meeting to avoid the peak hot weather, relocate to a cooler venue, reschedule to another day or cancel the meeting,” she said.

Rice said no level of government was putting adequate measures in place to tackle the implications of climate change for sport.

“None of Australia’s major sports plans, including the federal government’s first national sports plan, discuss or tackle the implications of climate change,” he said.

“Perth and other cities where summer sports such as A and W-League soccer, BBL cricket and major tennis tournaments are played are all experiencing hotter, longer or more frequent heatwaves.”

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Rice said even if the Paris Agreement goal to limit global temperature rise to well below 2 degrees was met, summer heatwaves in the capitals were likely to reach highs of 50 degrees by 2040.

“Major summer sporting events in Australia such as the Australian Tennis Open, the Tour Down Under cycle race, as well as summer sports such as cricket and soccer, will become unplayable in their current format,” he said.

Rice added that fossil fuel sponsorship of sports was becoming more socially unpalatable.

“Santos is a huge contributor to climate change, and yet it’s sponsoring some of our most beloved sports including Rugby Australia and the Santos Tour Down Under,” he said.

“It’s somewhat ironic that sporting teams are being funded by the companies responsible for disrupting the game.”

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