In recent discussions surrounding the upcoming 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics, prominent athletes have voiced alarming concerns about the diminishing glaciers that play a pivotal role in winter sports. Lindsey Vonn, a renowned alpine skier, noted during a press conference in Cortina d'Ampezzo that most of the glaciers she once skied on have nearly vanished. This change illustrates a stark reality of climate change's effects on the environment of winter sports and calls for urgent attention.

Mikaela Shiffrin and Federica Brignone echoed similar sentiments, stating the changes in skiing environments they have witnessed over the years. Shiffrin emphasized how these alterations profoundly affect the essence of their sport, while Brignone lamented the higher elevation of glaciers compared to her childhood experience. Events in Cortina have transformed into a platform for discussing this critical issue, as the region's glaciers continue to noticeably recede, resulting in a stark contrast to the wide expanses of ice that once defined the area.

Scientific data corroborates the athletes' experiences, with researcher Antonella Senese from the University of Milan reporting a significant reduction of glacier area in Italy since the late 1950s, accelerating in the past two decades. The iconic Marmolada glacier has seen its area shrink drastically, and projections suggest that if current warming trends continue, most glaciers could disappear by 2034. The implications for winter sports are dire, as athletes like Silja Koskinen and A.J. Hurt share how they are now facing unskinnable regions and increasingly dangerous conditions, indicating that the sport, as it has been known, is critically at risk due to environmental changes.