Introduction

SVICSA is now following the BC Soccer Air Quality Safety Guidelines (PDF). The guidelines are intended to help teams and officials assess air quality — and the potential health impacts — at local fields. This will help teams/officials make decisions about modifying or canceling practices and games when air quality is degraded.

The BC Soccer Air Quality Guidelines are based on the Air Quality Health Index (AQHI). The AQHI uses a scale to show the health risk associated with the air pollution we breathe.

AQHI levels and forecasts for areas throughout B.C. are available on the BC Air Quality website. These locations include Victoria/Saanich and Duncan. Below is a summary of key messages from the BC Soccer Air Quality Safety Guidelines.

 
 Air Quality Health Index (AQHI

How to Incorporate AQHI Levels into Your Soccer Activity 

3 or Below: Continue with training as usual.

4 – 6: Be prepared to adjust the practice by:

• Reducing the intensity.
• Reducing the duration of the practice.
• Providing resting periods. 

7 or Above: Reschedule.

Note: The AQHI is updated hourly, so use the calculation that is within one hour of your scheduled kick-off or practice time.

Other Air Quality Factors to Keep in Mind

Be aware of the current weather, as well as local air quality conditions, such as:

• Current forest fires and their proximity to your soccer activity.
• Local burning of stubble on fields or agricultural fields: this can increase particulates in the air without affecting the AQHI for a city.
• Sudden and dramatic changes in wind strength and direction.
• Proximity of any major road/highway, industrial area and/or other significant emission source.

Additional Information

• The AQHI treats anything Above 10+ as Very High. It says that “general” and “at-risk” populations should reschedule all outdoor activities — strenuous or not.
• Elite athletes are in the “at-risk" population. This is due to the intensity and duration of their exposure to outdoor air quality.
• Women appear to be more affected than men because they have smaller airways, lungs and respiratory systems.
• With respect to air quality, soccer is considered a high-exposure sport.
• It is not possible to acclimatize athletes to air pollution. In fact, the US Olympic Committee recommends that for competitions in high-pollution areas the best training strategy is to use alternative sites. 
• People tend to rely on sensory perception to evaluate air quality. In reality, the pollutants that are most dangerous to human health are hard to see or smell.