News article
This week: Rugby Africa, Kansas City Royals, Green Gazelles
Also in the news: The International Weightlifting Federation, DECATHLON, The R&A and more…
Paris 2024 recently held its Volunteer Convention to kick off a behind-the-scenes experience of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, welcoming the 45,000 volunteers that have been selected for the major event. The event was held at future competition venue, Paris La Défense Arena in Nanterrem, with volunteers able to see their DECATHLON-designed uniform.
The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) has followed up on the launch of its IWF Sustainability Programme in 2023 with a meeting with Sporting Giants, the consultancy charged with conceiving a Sustainability Strategy. IWF Executive Board member Florian Sperl and IWF Chief Executive Achilleas Tsgoas met with Sporting Giants’ representatives to discuss the strategy, which will be presented and implemented from October 2025 onwards.
Rugby Africa has introduced a Women’s Leadership and Training Programme, which will feature a curriculum of presentations, workshops, expert testimonials and real-world case studies. In alignment with global rugby governing body, World Rugby, the online training programme has been designed to equip female volunteers and employees of rugby unions with essential managerial skills.
The Kansas City Royals and Recycle Track Systems (RTS) have joined forces to elevate sustainability efforts at the Major League Baseball (MLB) team’s Kauffman Stadium. Recycle Track Systems is a provider of waste management and recycling solutions, including its AI tracking platform. RTS will oversee all waste and recycling needs at the venue, aiming to streamline waste management processes and reduce environmental impact.
A report from Stirling University has called for a ban on artificial 3G sports pitches in Scotland, due to potentially cancerous chemicals found within them. A study from the university stated that crumb rubber infill on pitches should be replaced, as the rubber is often from user car tyres which can contain chemicals such as lead and mercury that are possibly carcinogenic.
DECATHLON Singapore has partnered with marketplace Carousell to launch a platform for customers and to buy and sell quality-assured second-hand bicycles. The Official DECATHLON Carousell Store will list bicycles that have been inspected and refurbished, and those that would like to sell can simply schedule an appointment to assess their bike. The store has been introduced to promote sustainability and circularity in sporting equipment.
Community-based golf and entertainment facility Golf It!, which was developed by The R&A in Glasgow, Scotland, has achieved GEO Certified Development recognition. The scheme’s venue has been praised for its commitment to the environment, social responsibility and leadership in sustainable golf. GEO Certified is an international sustainability certification for golf developments.
Energy solutions company Aggreko has partnered with KPMG Australia Sail Grand Prix in Sydney, powering the event with a more environmentally friendly approach with Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO). By opting for HVO instead of traditional diesel to power the generators, Aggreko facilitated a 23,533kg reduction in CO2 equivalent emissions.
Wembley Stadium has helped to develop a new and unique process to make its pitch 100% recyclable. It is the result of a two-year plan to find a suitable solution to recycling modern-day football pitches, which are often a hybrid of grass and synthetic plastic. Hybrid pitches have become popular because they offer increased reliability in variable weather. The team at Wembley has come up with a process that means the plastic can be extracted from the pitch and repurposed.
The Green Gazelles, a rugby side that is on a mission to promote sustainability, will host ‘The Big Green Clash’ on September 8 at Richmond Athletic Grounding London. Green Gazelles will face Richmond Rugby, with the idea of the clash to spark an important debate around the environment and sport.