An athlete from the United Kingdom has opted not to compete for Great Britain in an event that will take place in Australia because she is worried about the environmental effects of the travel involved.
Leading junior endurance runner, Innes FitzGerald wrote to British Athletics to express her worry about the situation and to request that she not be selected for the world cross-country championships.
She wrote, “To have the opportunity to compete for Great Britain in Australia is a privilege. However, it is with great regret that I must decline this opportunity.”
In her letter, published by Athletics Weekly, FitzGerald said: “When I started running, the prospect of me competing in the world cross country championships would have seemed merely a dream. However, the reality of travel fills me with deep concern”.
She said, “I was just nine when the Cop21 Paris climate agreement was signed. Now, eight years on, global emissions have been steadily increasing, sending us on a path to climate catastrophe.”
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The athlete said that she feared the environmental impact of air travel was contributing to the damage to people, “their livelihoods, homes and loved ones”, adding that the least she can do is voice his solidarity with those suffering on the frontline of climate breakdown.
She further noted that her decision had not been an easy one, but was nothing compared to the grief she would feel taking the flight.
FitzGerald has previously competed for her nation in international competitions, but last month she travelled from her home in Devon to Turin for the European Cross Country Championships by coach and train. The 16-year-old competed against considerably older competition and placed fourth in the under-20 women’s race, giving rise to optimism about her future. She later admitted, however, that she believed the difficult means of transportation caused her to slightly underperform in the marathon.
She reportedly travelled an overnight trip to Lille before boarding a train to Turin via Paris. To reduce expenditures, she and her family rode folding bikes between stations.
An organisation for environmentally friendly athletes, Champions for Earth, described FitzGerald as a “champion in more ways than one”.
The organisation said: “It is clear that Innes has the steely determination and focus, combined with the courage and clarity to face a reality quite different to athletes of previous generations,” adding that she was seeking sponsorship to help with the extra costs associated with eco-friendly travel and competition.
“As a young person with Olympic dreams growing up during a climate and ecological emergency, she is balancing the dream of one day becoming a champion of the world, with a determination to be a champion for Earth,” the organization said.
Story was adapted from The Guardian.
