Sustainability in sports has transitioned from a niche concern to a central pillar of modern athletic culture. From eco-friendly athletic wear to recycled rubber athletic flooring, the industry now embraces green sports innovations that reduce environmental impact while enhancing performance.
Green Sports Infrastructure: From Building Design to Daily Operations
Sports venues worldwide are undergoing an eco-conscious transformation, reflecting a growing commitment to reducing environmental impact without compromising performance. The Paris 2024 Olympic Games were designed with sustainability as a core priority.
An impressive 95% of the Olympic venues were either existing structures or temporary installations, drastically minimizing the need for new construction. Only three new permanent sites were built, marking a strategic shift toward reducing the carbon footprint of large-scale sporting events.
Paris Olympics Track 2024
A highlight was Mondo’s track for the Paris Olympics, which incorporated 50% recycled or renewable materials, Mondo created this using a blend of high-performance rubber and recycled mussel and clam shells from the Mediterranean.
Partnering with Italian seafood cooperative Nieddittas, Mondo diverted marine shell waste from landfills into biogenic calcium carbonate, a resilient base for athletic surfaces. This innovation offsets carbon emissions equivalent to driving a diesel car over 37,000 miles.
The finished track covers 17,000 square meters, cost around €3 million and is expected to last a decade. With Paris 2024, Mondo continued its legacy of Olympic involvement, having now built tracks for 12 Games, including the iconic red track used in Tokyo 2020.
Tokyo Olympics Track 2020
At the Tokyo Olympics, Mondo debuted a track featuring a 3D rubber granule surface fused with a polymer layer, specifically engineered for speed and energy return. That innovation paid off: Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah won gold in the women’s 100-meter race with a time of 10.61 seconds, making her the second-fastest woman in history.
Overall, eight Olympic track records were broken on the Tokyo surface, underscoring how ecological design can also enhance performance.
Beyond the Olympics, manufacturers like Mondo are applying sustainable design principles across a wide range of sports infrastructure. Integrating renewable and recycled materials such as natural rubber and reclaimed components from end-of-life industrial supply chains emphasizes low-carbon techniques and renewable energy use.
This ensures products are both high-performing and environmentally responsible. Mondo’s innovations in recycled rubber athletic flooring demonstrate how performance and sustainability can coexist.
Eco-Friendly Athletic Wear: Next-Generation Fabrics
As sustainability becomes a key focus across industries, the athletic wear sector is no exception. Adidas has led sustainable innovation in sportswear with DryDye technology, which was introduced in 2013. It uses pressurized carbon dioxide instead of water, reducing both water usage and chemical runoff — major issues in textile production.
At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, progress and innovation intersected on multiple fronts. Athletes benefited from new tracks, improved training regimes and advanced footwear, such as super-spike shoes. These breakthroughs contributed to record-breaking achievements, including Sydney McLaughlin’s 51.46-second dash for gold in the 400-meter hurdles.
Sustainability was also woven into athlete apparel for the 2024 Paris Games. The ‘Village Wear’ collection from Ralph Lauren featured casual garments — jackets, rugby shirts, sweaters and T-shirts — designed for everyday use in the Athletes’ Village.
Among the highlights was the brand’s first 100% recycled cotton polo shirt, marking a milestone in its commitment to circular fashion. In fact, creating polyester releases two to three times more carbon emissions than cotton production.
Beyond recycling, advanced fabrics are redefining comfort and functionality. Materials like i-Cool textiles outperform cotton by improving sweat evaporation and thermal regulation, keeping athletes cooler and drier during high-intensity events.
Brands are also investing in larger environmental initiatives. Adidas’s collaboration with Parley for the Oceans transforms marine plastic into footwear, while Sky’s partnership with WWF through Sky Ocean Rescue supports marine biodiversity. These programs reflect a growing demand for climate-conscious sportswear and signal a cultural shift toward eco-driven athletics.
Energy-Efficient Sports Venues: A New Standard for Green Operations
This green shift is also evident in venue energy systems. Seattle’s Climate Pledge Arena has become the first net-zero certified arena in the world, fully eliminating fossil fuels from its operations. It runs on 100% renewable electricity, demonstrating how daily operations can align with broader climate goals.
In 2024, Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas became the first Super Bowl venue powered completely by renewables. With 621,000 solar panels and integrated battery storage, the stadium reflects how large-scale sports events can shift to cleaner energy sources without compromising performance.
Biodiversity and Green Spaces: Beyond the Game
The environmental impact of sports extends far beyond the field. In the United States, 29% of total greenhouse gas emissions come from transportation. Fan travel and accommodation account for roughly 85% of the emissions generated by major sporting events.
Even at the grassroots level, the carbon footprint is significant — individual participants in active sports produce an average of 844 kg CO₂e per year, primarily from transportation.
Paris 2024 addressed this challenge through urban planning. The city planted 200,000 trees and added 1,000 kilometers of bike lanes to improve biodiversity and mobility. Public transport was central to the Olympic experience, with 3,000 pay-as-you-go bikes and easy access to venues.
Large-scale initiatives like the Race to Zero campaign bring this collective approach to life. With over 16,000 members, including companies, cities and institutions, this global alliance is working toward halving emissions by 2030 in line with the Paris Agreement, backed by transparent targets and action plans.
Given their global reach, sports hold extraordinary potential to drive climate action. Athletes embracing environmental advocacy are key to driving the message of sustainable sports forward. Their voices can mobilize audiences and encourage more environmentally responsible behavior, both on and off the field.
Mathieu Flamini — a former French soccer star — has dedicated his life to environmental activism. He co-founded a biotech company focused on ecological products and is actively involved in Earth-conscious initiatives.
Sustainable Tools: Footprint Calculators and the Greenhouse Gas Protocol
Digital tools are empowering sports communities to take climate action. The UEFA Carbon Footprint Calculator helps clubs and fans measure emissions from travel, logistics and stadium operations. Built in line with the Greenhouse Gas Protocol — the leading global standard for carbon reporting — and validated by a third party, the tool ensures consistent, transparent emissions tracking.
Fans can estimate matchday travel emissions, compare transport options and make informed choices, like opting for trains over flights. For clubs, the tool identifies high-impact areas and supports strategic planning. As part of UEFA’s Strength Through Unity sustainability strategy, this calculator reflects a shared commitment to measurable climate progress across the soccer ecosystem.
Tech-Driven Sustainability: How AI Is Greening Sports
Artificial intelligence is a key driver in optimizing energy use, as well as in predicting environmental impacts and designing eco-friendly products. Inside stadiums, AI is being leveraged to improve energy efficiency and minimize waste. Smart systems use real-time data to optimize lighting, regulate climate and forecast maintenance needs, reducing emissions and operational waste.
Machine learning models predict energy needs based on attendance, weather and equipment, helping event organizers minimize their carbon footprint. Intel’s AI tools even support talent development while optimizing facility energy use.
Meanwhile, technical advancements such as OMEGA’s high-speed Scan ‘O’ Vision Ultimate cameras, originally designed for sports timekeeping, are being adapted to monitor activity levels in real time, aiding in dynamic energy resource allocation.
Challenges in Sports Sustainability
Despite impressive progress, the sports industry faces significant hurdles in its sustainability journey. High implementation costs present a major barrier, especially for smaller venues—the €3 million Paris Olympics track remains unaffordable for many facilities. Technical expertise requirements further limit adoption among organizations with minimal staff.
Performance concerns also create resistance. While Mondo’s Olympic tracks demonstrate eco-friendly surfaces can enhance results, athletes and coaches remain skeptical about other sustainable alternatives potentially affecting competitive edge.
Complex global supply chains make monitoring environmental practices difficult, leading to greenwashing where brands exaggerate green credentials while maintaining unsustainable operations.
Perhaps most challenging is addressing fan behavior—with travel accounting for 85% of emissions at major events, even the most sustainable venue cannot overcome thousands of spectators traveling long distances.
Inconsistent regulations across regions and lack of standardized measurement methods further complicate progress. Economic pressures also create tension between short-term financial goals and long-term sustainability investments, particularly for organizations recovering from pandemic-related revenue losses.
Overcoming these challenges requires unprecedented collaboration between governing bodies, brands, and organizations to develop consistent standards and make sustainable options accessible throughout the sports ecosystem.
The Road Ahead: Sustainability as the New Standard in Sports
Sustainability in sports depends on pairing innovation with accountability. From venue designs and eco-friendly athletic wear to recycled rubber athletic flooring and biodiversity initiatives, the industry is embracing green sports practices that benefit both athletes and the planet.
Companies like Mondo exemplify this commitment, leading the way with environmentally friendly resources and manufacturing processes. As these game-changing developments continue to evolve, they set new standards for what it means to be truly sustainable in the world of sports
Frequently Asked Questions
How does DryDye technology benefit athletic wear?
DryDye technology revolutionizes textile manufacturing by using pressurized carbon dioxide instead of water to dye fabrics. This process eliminates the need for thousands of liters of water per garment, reduces chemical usage and decreases energy consumption, aligning with sustainable fashion goals and minimizing the environmental footprint of athletic apparel.
Why is recycled rubber athletic flooring considered sustainable?
Recycled rubber athletic flooring repurposes waste rubber — often from tires or industrial processes — into high-performance sports surfaces. This reduces landfill waste, lowers the demand for virgin materials and minimizes emissions associated with production. It also offers durability, safety and elasticity, making it ideal for gyms, sports halls and multiuse courts.
How do carbon footprint calculators support greener fan behavior?
Carbon footprint calculators estimate travel-related emissions for attending events, helping fans understand their environmental impact. By offering data-driven comparisons and alternatives — like trains over planes or public transit over cars — these tools promote low-carbon choices and make sustainable travel decisions a more integral part of the sports experience.
References
Research Gate: Integrated cooling (i-Cool) textile of heat conduction and sweat transportation for personal perspiration management
Earthly: Red Flags: Sustainability challenges for the sports industry
Research Gate: Harnessing artificial intelligence for data-driven energy predictive analytics: A systematic survey towards enhancing sustainability
Global Fashion Agenda: Olympics 2024: Style, Sport, and Sustainability
Play the Game: Sustainable innovations in sport
