This archive report was first published on 10 January 2020.
As the Australian Open tennis Grand Slam approaches, concerns are growing about the impact of the country's devastating bushfires on the tournament.
With at least 26 people dead and over 2,000 homes destroyed, the blazes have torched about eight million hectares of land, sending air pollution soaring.
According to Professor Christine Jenkins, a respiratory medicine expert at the University of New South Wales, the smoky conditions could pose health problems for players, fans, and officials, especially in the high temperatures of the Australian summer.
"It is going to depend on the prevailing winds and whether we have ongoing fires," she said.
While Melbourne hasn't been as badly affected by pollution as Sydney or Canberra, thick haze last week prompted speculation that the Australian Open could be delayed.
However, Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley said the tournament should go ahead as expected, citing good weather forecasts and additional measures to ensure the event's smooth running.
"All the information we have at the moment, with qualifying coming up next week, is that the forecast is good, we don't expect any delays and we've implemented additional measures to ensure the Australian Open will be able to run as scheduled," Tiley said.
Players who are recovering from respiratory tract infections are particularly at risk, as well as those with asthma, due to the potential for pollution to irritate the respiratory tract and intensify symptoms.
Professor Yuming Guo, head of the Climate, Air Quality Research Unit at Monash University, warned that pollution can increase the risks of respiratory symptoms, cardiovascular disorder, eye symptoms, or mental disorders, which could influence the performance of the players.
Despite the risks, it is unlikely that the tournament will be cancelled, with an insurance policy in place to provide a hefty pay-out in the event of a cancellation due to extreme weather.
