Climate Adaptation in Sport: Innovative Strategies for Performance, Management, and Policy in a Changing Environment
Keywords:
Climate Adaptation, Sport Management, BCG Model, Sustainability, Policy InnovationAbstract
This study investigates climate adaptation in sport through three interconnected domains: athlete performance, organizational management, and policy governance. Using a qualitative design, data were collected through a systematic literature review of 82 Scopus and ScienceDirect indexed articles published between 2018 and 2025, four case studies, and 15 semi-structured expert interviews. Thematic synthesis revealed four athlete-level strategies—physiological adaptation, psychological resilience, scheduling adjustments, and wearable monitoring technologies. At the organizational level, climate-responsive facilities, mega-event innovations, and sustainability-driven models such as the Bio-Circular-Green (BCG) framework emerged as effective approaches. At the policy level, sport was identified as underrepresented in climate agendas, though evidence suggested opportunities for integration with health expenditures and public awareness campaigns. Cross-level analysis demonstrated that adaptation is most effective when athlete strategies are supported by organizational infrastructure and reinforced by policy frameworks, creating a feedback system of resilience. The study contributes to sport management scholarship by proposing a multi-level framework that positions sport as both vulnerable to climate risks and as a proactive driver of sustainable development. Recommendations are provided for athletes, organizations, and policymakers to align strategies for enhanced climate resilience in sport systems.
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