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cooldownnetwork.bsky.social
Cool Down
@cooldownnetwork.bsky.social
The world is heating up, Cool Down - the sport for climate action network, works to cool it down. We share here what our members do. See http://cooldownclimate.org
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🚨BREAKING! 🚨

🌍 The Fossil Free Declaration is a new global initiative inviting athletes & sports organisations to sever ties with the industries driving climate breakdown.

Get involved by inviting your favourite athlete or team to join. ✍️

More 👉 cooldownclimate.org/the-fossil-f...
Reposted by Cool Down
🚨 Introducing the A-Z of Badvertising, the new public information campaign on the ad industry’s tricks to push pollution-as-usual. 📺💨

🅱️ is for ‘Badvertising’, persuading people to buy stuff which is against their own interests.

👉 find out more at
www.badverts.org/campaign-upd...
October 12, 2026 at 11:24 AM
Reposted by Cool Down
🏆 The Bad Sport Awards 2026 are here.

And this year’s winners have been making some truly spectacular contributions to the world of sportswashing.

Here are the winners… 🧵
FIFA takes the top prize at the Bad Sport Awards 2026 — Cool Down
FIFA scoops two of the four awards at the Bad Sport Awards 2026.
www.cooldownclimate.org
October 10, 2026 at 9:52 AM
Reposted by Cool Down
🚨 BIG NEWS: Fossil ad ban advocate María Neira has been nominated by Spain to lead the World Health Organisation.

Neira has been a consistent supported of such a ban, even describing fossil fuels as the "new tobacco". 🛢️🚬
As Deadline Nears, Civil Society Urges Spain To Nominate María Neira In WHO DG Election - Health Policy Watch
With Thursday’s 24 September deadline looming, international scientific societies and civil society leaders are pushing Spain to sponsor a last-minute WHO Director-General nomination for Dr María Neir...
healthpolicy-watch.news
October 8, 2026 at 10:18 AM
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Sportswashing is an oily stain on our sports. We campaign for all running events drop high-carbon sponsors.

We’ve identified 41 races with high-carbon sponsors. 24 gas & oil, 14 airline & three car manufacturers. No doubt we’ve missed many more.

@badvertising.bsky.social
Sportswashing: Drop polluting sponsors - The Green Runners CIC
The Green Runners say that taking sponsorship money from high-carbon industries to support a running event or fund local charities isn’t ethical. We’ve called
thegreenrunners.com
September 23, 2026 at 7:58 AM
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Wizz Air claim to have the lowest airline CO2 emissions in Europe. At the same time, their desire is to provide everyone with flights at the lowest price & all you can fly annual passes.

Reducing emissions while fuelling demand for cheap flights isn’t the answer.

@badvertising.bsky.social
September 22, 2026 at 8:05 AM
Reposted by Cool Down
Nine European races are sponsored by Wizz Air.

Together with @badvertising.bsky.social & @flightfreeuk.bsky.social, we call on the races to drop the airline at the earliest opportunity.

Big polluters have no place in our sport. They’re taking the Whizz 🤬

✍️ Sign our petition.
🛑 Stop #sportswashing
Sign the Petition
Drop Polluting Sponsors - Stop taking the Whizz
c.org
September 21, 2026 at 7:09 AM
NEW PIECE: Football said it couldn’t afford to lose gambling sponsors.

Then twenty Premier League clubs started this season without a front shirt betting sponsor

Football did not collapse. So why do many view high-carbon industries so differently? 🧵
The Premier League banned gambling sponsorship on shirts. Could polluting sponsors be next? — Cool Down
For twenty years we were told it couldn't be done. Football needed the bookmakers and gambling companies’' money. Take it away and clubs would go under, the pyramid would crumble, the product would su...
www.cooldownclimate.org
September 18, 2026 at 10:33 AM
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CAMPAIGN WIN: Bristol has just banned high-carbon advertising on publicly-owned space. With the city including fast fashion for the first time.

Momentum is building across the UK for a fossil fuel ad ban. 🚀

Here’s the story so far. 🧵
Bristol becomes first city to ban fast fashion adverts
New rules prohibits the promotion of flights, cars and travel agents on council-owned billboards.
www.bbc.com
September 15, 2026 at 9:32 AM
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A recent sponsor switch-up for Liverpool FC is keeping polluting industries in the lead.   

Here’s how we can change the game. 

www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Liverpool agree £60m-a-year shirt sponsorship deal with Turkish Airlines
Liverpool have announced a new shirt sponsorship deal with Turkish Airlines worth more than £60m a year to the club
www.theguardian.com
September 9, 2026 at 9:32 AM
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Another Vuelta a España stage has been adapted due to extreme weather. 

And riders are rightly questioning this new normal. 

www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/s...
‘What are we doing?’: Brennan’s anger at racing in 44C heat as Van Aert wins shortened stage
Britain’s Matthew Brennan complained of the high temperatures the riders were racing in as Wout van Aert won stage 15 of the Vuelta a España
www.theguardian.com
September 7, 2026 at 7:16 AM
Reposted by Cool Down
The UN has revealed that the world is likely to breach 1.5°C of warming within the next few years.

It is not more important than ever that we not only ramp up renewables, but also reduce demand for fossil fuels.

This is where a fossil ad ban must come in. 🧵 1/6
Limiting Overshoot - Navigating exceedance of 1.5°C and pathways towards return
Limiting global warming to 1.5°C remains a cornerstone of the Paris Agreement, yet under current policies and alternative near-term trajectories, exceedance of 1.5°C is now widely assessed as unavoida...
www.unep.org
September 4, 2026 at 8:55 AM
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I published this article for the Welsh magazine 'Barn' today.

It's the only story I've seen about the morally dubious sponsorship of the @eisteddfod.cymru Science Village by Valero, one of the world's largest oil refining companies.

barn.cymru/en_gb/yr-eis...
Yr Eisteddfod a’r diwydiant olew – Barn
Braf oedd darllen datganiad yr Eisteddfod, yn fuan wedi prifwyl y Garreg Las, eu bod yn ‘bwriadu cyflwyno…
barn.cymru
September 1, 2026 at 9:49 AM
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Extreme heat is causing serious injury and postponed seasons in grassroots football. 

While elite football promotes harmful industries, players at other levels are left to suffer. 

www.nytimes.com/athletic/752...
Life-changing injuries and postponed seasons: How the heatwave is impacting grassroots football
The United Kingdom has endured its hottest and driest summer on record, leaving grass pitches rock hard and cracked ahead of the new season
www.nytimes.com
August 31, 2026 at 11:01 AM
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BIG NEWS: Criminal legal proceedings are being launched against Fifa president Gianni Infantino by Uefa.

But Fifa has a deeper issue than Infantino - it has been selling the game to the highest bidder for decades. 🧵 1/6
Gianni Infantino: Uefa pursuing criminal legal proceedings against Fifa president
Uefa is pursuing criminal proceedings against Fifa president Gianni Infantino over the scrapped plan to sell off stakes in the World Cup.
www.bbc.co.uk
August 28, 2026 at 9:47 AM
Reposted by Cool Down
Stage 3 of the Vuelta a España race was cancelled yesterday as extreme weather threatened rider safety. 🌧️

As climate chaos impacts cycling’s biggest events, polluting sponsors remain in the lead. 🚴‍♂️

www.cyclingweekly.com/racing/vuelt...
Vuelta a España stage three neutralised and then abandoned after hailstorm
Heavy weather stops race in Font-Romeu, France
www.cyclingweekly.com
August 25, 2026 at 9:37 AM
Reposted by Cool Down
Paris Saint-Germain’s Ligue 1 opening game on Sunday was relocated due to extreme heat.⚽️

Meanwhile PSG’s owners are still one of the world’s most prolific fossil fuel producers. 🛢️

www.theguardian.com/football/202...
PSG’s Ligue 1 home opener moved to Rennes after pitch damaged by heat
Paris Saint-Germain will face Rennes in Brittany because the Parc des Princes playing surface is a risk to ‘the safety and wellbeing of the players’
www.theguardian.com
August 24, 2026 at 9:50 AM
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🚨 Petition: Infantino must go.

Under Gianni Infantino, football's crowning tournament has become a political vehicle and advertising platform for polluters and the power hungry.

⏪ Let's revisit some of his lowlights. 🧵 1/5

Sign: change.org/infantino-out-now
Sign the Petition
Global petition: Gianni Infantino to resign & FIFA reform
change.org
August 21, 2026 at 9:56 AM
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Football carries many hidden environmental costs.

And moving a player between clubs can shed light on the wider issues the game has with carbon emissions. ⚽️

www.football365.com/news/hidden-...
The hidden costs involved in Bruno Guimaraes' move to Arsenal
Arsenal paid Newcastle £75m to sign Bruno Guimaraes, but the cost doesn't end there when moving a player and his family between cities.
www.football365.com
August 18, 2026 at 10:09 AM
Reposted by Cool Down
The controversial and failed bid by FIFA president Infantino to sell stakes in future football tournaments goes beyond football, and raises an important question: who does sport really belong to?

theconversation.com/who-does-spo...
Who does sport really belong to – the fans or the funders?
Fifa’s recent sell-off controversy has reignited the debate about ownership of football and other sports.
theconversation.com
August 17, 2026 at 10:49 AM
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🚨 In a new piece for CyclingWeekly, Matt Rendell investigates the self-declared "green" claims of the Arctic Race of Norway.

Spoiler: it's about as green as a satsuma. 🍊

📖 Full piece: www.cyclingweekly.com/news/the-uci...

Join the Fossil Free Declaration 👉 www.cooldownclimate.org/the-fossil-f...
August 13, 2026 at 10:39 AM
Reposted by Cool Down
🌡️ Over TWO THIRDS of the UK is in drought.

Sports pitches have hardened while athletes are struggling to perform in the heat.

Yet, decision makers continue to bury their heads in the arid sand by partnering with polluting sponsors. 📺💨

An explainer on sportswashing. 🧵 1/2
August 11, 2026 at 9:11 AM
This.

There's no beautiful game without the grassroots.
🚨 Grassroots football league forced to delay the start of its season due to heat wave.

While elite teams and Fifa promote fossil fuel interests, the climate crisis is having significant consequences for grassroots football.

Here's the state of play. 🧵 1/7
Scratch of the day: local football season postponed due to ‘rock hard’ pitches
Drought and record heat have forced the Norfolk and Suffolk league to move kick-off to the end of August as the ground is deemed too dangerous to play on
www.theguardian.com
August 10, 2026 at 10:49 AM
Reposted by Cool Down
🚨 Big Oil made $93 BILLION in profit in three months.

As war pushed oil prices up and fossil-fuelled heatwaves, fires and drought devastated communities, oil giants cashed in. 🫰

And they’re still allowed to advertise like they’re part of the solution. 🧵 1/7
Revealed: major oil firms make $93bn profits amid war and climate crisis
Iran conflict windfall over three months reignites calls for companies ‘cashing in on human misery’ to pay for environmental damage
www.theguardian.com
August 6, 2026 at 11:14 AM
Reposted by Cool Down
This week, FIFA has come under fire for trying to privatise the World Cup.

And now, FIFA president Infantino aims to rush through an expansion of the 2030 World Cup to a whopping 64 teams.

This is a short-sighted, money-making, climate-wrecking plan. 🧵

www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Fifa rapidly accelerates plan to expand World Cup to 64 teams from 2030 tournament
Fifa has accelerated plans to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams and opened a tender to research companies to assess the economic benefits quickly
www.theguardian.com
August 5, 2026 at 9:32 AM
Reposted by Cool Down
FIFA president Gianni Infantino is facing heavy leadership challenges after he ditched his controversial World Cup sell-off plan. 💰

Now more than ever, FIFA must drop their polluting sponsors and start protecting the future of football. 

www.theguardian.com/football/202...
Gianni Infantino ‘has lost Uefa’s confidence’ after Fifa chief scraps World Cup sell-off plan
Gianni Infantino ‘has lost the confidence’ of Uefa following his aborted project to sell off the World Cup to private investors, European football’s governing body has said
www.theguardian.com
August 3, 2026 at 9:49 AM