Between unbearable heat and empty stands, the World Athletics Championships in Doha, Qatar, turned to disaster, rises the editorialist of Europe 1 Virginie Phulpin.

EDITORIAL

The World Championships in Athletics turn to disaster. The hot weather in Doha, Qatar, has led to many dropouts and discomfort among athletes, while the stands remain desperately empty since the beginning of the competition, including the sprint events! Virginie Phulpin is indignant in his editorial sport, Monday morning.

"We are taken for idiots Our walking champion Yohann Diniz said it even before his abandonment of 50 kilometers Yes, he gave up Like 28 out of 70 participants in the women's marathon Too hot, too wet, the bodies do not resist But at the International Athletics Federation, we knew the climatic conditions when we awarded these Worlds in Qatar, no? We were necessarily aware of putting the athletes in danger. Yes, because what we saw during the tests on the road, it's suffering, not a pain related to the effort of a marathon, no, the suffering of running in inhuman conditions, we use athletes as guinea pigs to test our resistance to climate change, that's it ?

Yet, these trials took place in the middle of the night. Already it is ubiquitous. And in addition it does not solve anything. Even at midnight in Doha, it's over 32 degrees, 75% humidity, so it feels like it's over 40 degrees. A time not to put a spectator outside. It's good, there are none, spectators. The only ones to see this ersatz competition, it is the lampposts lit throughout the course. Looks like an escape game. "

Even in the stadium, the stands are empty ..

"Women's 100 meters Sunday, men's Saturday, nobody in the stadium! We want to kill athletics? It's a heartbreak to watch these stands. And all this in an air-conditioned stadium in the open. put the heating, you do not open the windows in large, a priori ... Basically, this is what we see in Doha.I understand, there is a lot of money to be thrown by the roof of the stadium. But we are almost all in agreement that there is a climate emergency, and here we see 10 days of competition in an energy-consuming stadium with no one inside.

You, there, at the international federation, you are not ashamed? Why did you choose Doha for these Worlds? A French court investigation is underway to find out if there has been corruption in the awarding of these championships. It's under way, so I do not pronounce myself. But if there is no corruption, then there is manifest incompetence. Even for Qatar these Worlds are catastrophic. The country wanted to do a dress rehearsal before the World Cup in 2022. Already, thank you for the athletes, it's nice. And all we see is a sporting, environmental and human heresy. "