THE CARBON FOOTPRINT OF SPORTS EVENTS: AN EVALUATION OF THE TOURNAMENTS ORGANIZED BY THE TURKISH UNIVERSITY SPORTS FEDERATION IN TERMS OF SUSTAINABILITY

OpenAlex Turkish

This study evaluates the environmental sustainability of four interuniversity tournaments (football, volleyball, basketball, and futsal) organized by the Turkish University Sports Federation (TUSF) in the 2024–2025 season by calculating their carbon footprints. Data from 415 participants representing 24 universities were compiled from tournament records, including travel distances, overnight stays, and meal consumption. Emissions were estimated using coefficients recommended by the IPCC and the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) for transportation (0.089 kg CO₂e per person-km), accommodation (6.8 kg CO₂e per person-night), and food (2.5 kg CO₂e per meal). Total emissions ranged from 3,584.4 kg CO₂e (volleyball) to 9,774 kg CO₂e (futsal), with travel distance and accommodation duration being the main drivers. Overall, the results indicate that sustainability-oriented planning in university sports tournaments should prioritize reducing travel-related emissions and managing accommodation demand, because these two components largely explain the differences between low- and high-emission events.