Spain trains in hazardous air as wildfire smoke blankets New Jersey

Spain's national soccer team trained in New Jersey under a haze of smoke from Canadian wildfires, with air quality reaching hazardous levels. The team practiced in East Hanover, northern New Jersey, ahead of the World Cup final. While media observed the first 15 minutes of a scheduled hour-long session, the full extent of their training in the poor air quality was unclear.

Officials had urged residents to stay indoors or wear masks due to the unhealthy air. Medical experts voiced concerns about high-level athletes exercising in such conditions. Dr. Courtney Howard, an emergency room physician, advised against outdoor practice in hazardous air, suggesting indoor, air-conditioned facilities as a safer alternative. She noted that while N95 masks could be used, ensuring a proper fit for all athletes would be challenging.

“

These are high-level athletes who are moving a lot of air through their lungs during every practice in every game, and really they shouldn't be practising outside if the air quality levels are at hazardous sort of ranges for wildfire-related air pollution. That's the time to schedule a practice inside. You could put an N95 mask on them, but trying to make sure that everybody's mask is well-fitted, I suspect that's not the best choice. I would go find an air-conditioned indoor facility that's a clean-air shelter.

FIFA and the Spanish Football Association did not immediately respond to inquiries about whether indoor training was considered. The smoke was forecast to dissipate before the final match on Monday. Air quality in East Hanover improved from "unhealthy" to "unhealthy for sensitive groups" by Thursday afternoon, though particle pollution remained significantly higher than World Health Organization standards. The air is expected to be "moderate" for the game.

“

It's not healthy for anyone to be in the smoke, especially if you're exercising. You're exchanging more air, so you're being exposed to even more pollutants, and even healthy individuals at some poin