You couldn’t miss it, last Saturday, during the press conference for the PSG-Nantes football game. While more than half of PSG’s trips this year were accessible in less than 3 hours by train, the coach Christophe GALTIER reacted ironically to a journalist’s question about the environmental issues related to the players’ trips. “We are currently looking into whether we can move around in a sand yacht”. Even if this reaction spilled a lot of ink, many sports associations, clubs, and startups are already on the case. Zoom in on these initiatives linking sport and ecology…
Involved associations
Olympic Lyonnais, at peace with the green
Did you know that, according to the ADEME, more than 80% of the greenhouse gas emissions attributed to sporting events are caused by the transportation of people, the organization, and the supporters? Following this controversy, OL’s (Olympic Lyon) president, Jean-Michel Aulas, has put forward his desire to favor “healthier” transport than air travel over short distances. As he told the media, “We have already looked at all these issues internally. But in terms of the OL team, we will already have a certain number of trips made by bus. I understood that the SNCF was in the process of optimizing certain trips, especially to Paris. So, we will do everything, including making efforts, so that there is less consumption. When we can avoid the plane, we’ll take the bus or the train.” An initiative that was supported by Lyon’s green mayor, who called on all sports clubs “to review their mobilities.” This is already the case in several countries, including Liverpool who made the trip to their first match by train (350 km), the Real Betis have for their part signed a partnership with RENFE (the Spanish railway company).
World Rugby, an eco-responsible federation
The Organizing Committee of the Rugby World Cup France 2023 is also working on its impact on the environment. For this occasion, the organizers have set up a digital platform to facilitate the travel of supporters during the competition. On this platform, you will find many eco-responsible solutions such as green cabs, electric buses, or carpooling.
Paris 2024 towards the future
For these Olympic Games, the French government has planned to put in place several solutions to limit the emissions of CO² and greenhouse gases as much as possible. The latter intends to inaugurate indeed new flying cabs. But that’s not all! Following the announcement of the Olympic Games of Paris, the project “Boucles cyclables” was born. According to Jean Castex, it initially aims to connect the various sites of the Games, by bike, which will all be located within a radius of 10 kilometers. Which represents 420 kilometers of bike routes planned in total.
Anne Hidalgo, mayor of Paris, declares that the ultimate goal would be to allow 73% of spectators to be less than 30 minutes by bike from the center of Paris to the competition sites. It is also announced that by 2024, 100% of the departmental roads in Seine-Saint-Denis should be cycleable. A real gift for this city, which sees more and more young companies setting up.
Clubs do not alone
To help clubs grow, many firms have entered the market. Their goal: To help clubs limit their environmental impact. We find Game Earth, Ecolosport or even Football Écology France. Game Earth has notably launched Mon Foot Carbonne a simulator that allows you to measure your carbon footprint in less than 5 minutes. In addition, according to Ecolosport, some NGOs such as POW France, Water Family-du flocon à la vague, or even Fondation relais vert «are ready to train the great sportsmen ». These NGOs propose to all teams, athletes, and professional sports structures, to accompany and train them. This is the case of Julien Pierre, former player of XV of France, who decided in 2020 to launch “Fair Play For Planet” (FPFP), the first ecological label linked to sport. Following this, other titles have appeared to push the world of sport to embrace the environmental issue. Today, there are more than ten ecological labels, but still few for the world of sport.
It’s not just for the pros to do
Beware! Supporters and amateur sportsmen are not exempt from all reproaches. According to ADEME “16 million people travel every week by train or participate in a sporting event”. They can also act at their level thanks to the 4 solutions we are going to give you. Carpooling is nowadays an excellent way to travel. Startups have taken up the challenge of helping users to move easily and at a lower cost. The objective: To avoid as much as possible car solo. That’s why we introduce you to two carpooling startups, all first StadiumGo founded in 2019, especially aimed at soccer fans. It offers an application that allows carpooling to go to all the stadiums in France. A good way for all fans to follow their favorite teams everywhere in France. As for them, Cariocar and Popsleigh offer carpools to your events, club, festival, user group, race, concert… with other enthusiasts!
But if carpooling is not your cup of tea, no panic! The startup Transfert en autocar helps all members of sports clubs to travel. Soccer, Basketball, Gymnastics, Bike racing, Rugby, Handball, Volleyball, Boules… The buses provided are spacious and well adapted to any trip. And this, everywhere in Europe.
Now, we can only hope that these initiatives are gradually adopted in the world of sports.
