A World Cup player has attached his signature to a letter urging FIFA to bolster its heat safety protocols ahead of this summer's tournament, cautioning that the governing body's existing measures fall short of what is required to safeguard players, fans and the integrity of the sport itself.
Norway midfielder Morten Thorsby, who represents Italian Serie A club Cremonese, is part of a collective of current and former professional footballers from both the men's and women's game who have written to FIFA demanding stricter standards.
The letter follows alerts issued last week by prominent scientists and medical experts, who determined that current measures are insufficient and will endanger player safety . It arrives as a deadly Ebola outbreak triggers a World Cup threat, as FIFA released a statement.
Norway international Morten Thorsby has signed an open letter calling on FIFA to improve its heat safety protocols for the World Cup -Credit:Stuart Franklin/Getty Images
Norway secured World Cup qualification for the first time in 28 years, meaning Thorsby is anticipated to be among those competing in the United States, Canada, and Mexico this summer, as per The Mirror US .
Scientists have cautioned that temperatures at 14 of the tournament's 16 venues could exceed dangerous levels, making the matter directly pertinent to him and every other participant.
FIFA has highlighted its enhanced heat protocols as proof of its dedication to player welfare, including mandatory three-minute cooling breaks in each half regardless of conditions.
However, the players' letter contends that the governing body needs to go further, backing scientists' calls for extended breaks and clearer frameworks for delaying or postponing matches when temperatures hit extreme levels.
Thorsby framed the issue as extending far beyond a mere inconvenience for players. "If we're not able to perform at our best," he told BBC Sport, "everyone in football loses." He argued that the problem impacts not just those on the field but spectators and the tournament's commercial value as well.
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When players cannot operate at full intensity due to heat, the spectacle suffers, and the spectacle is ultimately what the sport sells. "The sport loses its value if the players are not able to perform at their best," he said.
As the founder of the 'We Play Green' foundation, which he established to encourage the soccer community to engage with environmental and climate issues, Thorsby has been making this case for more than a decade.
He wore the number two jersey at Sampdoria to raise awareness of the Paris Agreement's target of limiting global warming to below 2°C, and was named Young Athlete of the Year at the BBC Green Sport Awards in 2022. Prior to the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he described the tournament's environmental footprint as a serious concern.
His broader message to FIFA went beyond heat protocols, with the players' letter also urging the organization to take meaningful climate action and terminate its sponsorship arrangements with fossil fuel companies.
FIFA's worldwide partners include Aramco, the Saudi state-owned energy company and the world's largest oil producer. FIFA responded by highlighting its dedication to channeling revenue back into the global development of the sport.
Thorsby believes other players aren't more outspoken on the issue as 'The more profiled and the more attention you have, the more difficult it is to speak up because you know how much attention it creates' -Credit:Ivan Romano/Getty Images
When asked why higher-profile players have not lent their voices to the cause, Thorsby was refreshingly candid.
"The more profiled and the more attention you have, the more difficult it is to speak up because you know how much attention it creates," he said. "I know that the players are scared - they're concerned about opinions of people."
