Global warming to push future championships indoors | Sports | Reuters

ROME (Reuters) - The ongoing world aquatics championships in Rome could be the last held outdoors after governing body FINA said on Friday they want indoor venues in future because of global warming.

"It is clear the weather is developing. We know things are getting hot around the world," FINA executive director Cornel Marculescu told a news conference.

"It's very difficult for us to organise this type of magnificent event outdoors. We are definitely going to indoor venues in the future."

Pool attendance dives in cold July - Peoria, IL - pjstar.com

Attendance at park district pools is down 55 percent so far in July, said Sue Wheeler, supervisor of aquatics for the Peoria Park District. And it is down 40 percent for the entire summer.

Lakeview has closed or partially closed 13 days this month alone, and other park district pools normally follow its lead.

"We've been hit pretty hard," said Wheeler, who's been aquatics manager for the last 17 years. "I haven't seen a summer like this."

Chuck Schaffer, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Lincoln, said temperatures have been running six degrees below normal for the month.

"We are running the coldest July in record, so far," he said.