Athletes Push 2026 Winter Olympics to Drop Fossil Fuel Sponsors

Winter Olympians are taking a stand to protect the very snow and ice that makes their sport possible.

Athletes competing in the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy have joined forces with scientists to challenge the Games' sponsorship deals with high-carbon companies. Their message is simple: you can't celebrate winter sports while promoting the industries that are melting them away.

The numbers tell a striking story. While the Milan Cortina 2026 Games will produce around 930,000 tonnes of emissions, three corporate sponsors alone will generate 1.3 million tonnes more. That's nearly triple the footprint, with oil giant Eni responsible for more than half of those added emissions.

The Olympics will take place in Italy's Dolomites, where climate change is hitting hard. Over the past five years, Italy has lost 265 ski resorts to warming temperatures. Organizers plan to make 2.4 million cubic meters of artificial snow using nearly a million cubic meters of water just to keep the slopes covered.

Swedish cross-country skier Björn Sandström sees this as about more than just emissions. "The Games' greatest influence is the signal they send to the world," he explains. When fossil fuel companies sponsor the Olympics, it contradicts what climate science tells us we need to do.

Greenlandic biathlete Ukaleq Slettemark, a former World Junior Champion, puts it even more directly. She says it's completely contradictory for winter sports to give oil companies a platform when those same companies are the biggest threat to winter itself.

Why This Inspires

This story shows athletes refusing to stay silent about what matters most to their future. They're not just competing for medals but fighting for the landscapes where those competitions can still happen.

Scientists and Olympians working together represents a powerful coalition. They're offering concrete solutions: end sponsorships with high-carbon corporations, skip building unnecessary new venues, and reduce air travel for spectators.

Their campaign proves that taking a stand doesn't require waiting for someone else to act first. These athletes are using their platform during one of the world's biggest sporting events to push for change that protects what they love.

The mountains are already sending the message through melting glaciers and disappearing snow cover. Now the people who know those mountains best are making sure the world hears it loud and clear.

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