Soccer-England boss Wiegman says team well-prepared for sweltering Swiss heat
ZURICH (Reuters) -England manager Sarina Wiegman is confident her players will be well prepared for the Switzerland heatwave when they begin the defence of their Women's European Championship title against France on Saturday in Zurich.
Wiegman was thankful for the recent warm weather in England that allowed them to get in some early heat acclimatisation.
"Of course, we have protocols in place, strategies, which players who have been around longer are familiar with... because they played in circumstances like this," Wiegman said from the team's base camp on Wednesday.
"I think we could already practise (in the heat) the first week of our training camp, because in England it was really hot too."
England's heat protocols including wearing ice vests and towels, sitting in ice baths and drinking ice slushies. They also use cryotherapy, which involves applying extremely cold temperatures either locally with ice packs or cooling sprays, or in a cryotherapy chamber.
"(We also) make sure we are hydrated. Of course, taking enough rest," Wiegman said. "Don't go in and out all the time. That's for your recovery. And do those things to keep your body temperature low."
The temperature climbed to 33 degrees Celsius in Zurich on Wednesday but conditions are expected to cool down slightly before the weekend. Saturday's kickoff is at 9 p.m. local time (1900 GMT).
European soccer governing body UEFA is taking the warm weather seriously, with free sunscreen available around stadiums and fan zones and a relaxation of the rules about taking water bottles into the stadiums.
The normally strict security rules were relaxed to allow fans attending matches on the first two days -- Wednesday and Thursday -- to bring a half-litre plastic or aluminium water bottle into the stadium, though no glass bottles will be allowed.
Wiegman said after Saturday's game that the team would meet with England's medical staff to gauge how the players managed the conditions.
"And then we move forward on to the next game," she said.
England, who edged Germany 2-1 at Wembley Stadium to win Euro 2022, are in a tough group in Switzerland, with France, the Netherlands and Wales.
(Reporting by Lori Ewing; editing by Clare Fallon)
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