“The biggest threat to the Olympic dream is fossil fuels”: Winter athletes push the IOC to reconsider polluting sponsors

The Milano-Cortina mountainscape, where the 2026 Winter Games are currently underway

Nearly 90 Olympians and Paralympians, alongside more than 40 athletes hoping to compete at future Olympic Games, have written to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) requesting a formal dialogue on sponsorship policy and urging the organisation to exclude fossil fuel companies from future Games.

Their central claim cannot be misconstrued: fossil fuel sponsorship is incompatible with the long-term future of sport.

In an open letter submitted through the IOC Athletes’ Commission, signatories argue that “the biggest threat to the Olympic dream is fossil fuels” and that the Olympic movement cannot credibly celebrate human achievement while accepting funding from industries that contribute most directly to climate disruption.

The intervention represents one of the most coordinated winter athlete-led challenges to Olympic sponsorship policy to date, and reflects growing pressure on major sporting institutions to align commercial partnerships with a habitable planet.

Climate impacts are already affecting sport

For many signatories, the issue is not symbolic but operational.

Athletes competing in winter disciplines report that climate change is already undermining training and competition conditions. Shorter seasons, reduced snow reliability and the increasing costs of maintaining venues are reshaping the feasibility of events and locations. Research suggests that by mid-century, only a limited number of historic Winter Olympic host cities may remain climatically viable for the Winter Games.

As the letter notes, the venues on which athletes “train and compete are vanishing.”

Against this backdrop, continued association with fossil fuel companies appears increasingly at odds with both the practical needs of athletes and the IOC’s stated sustainability goals.

From external advocacy to internal pressure

The letter follows a broader wave of scrutiny over fossil fuel involvement in international sport. However, distinguishes this initiative is that it originates from within the Olympic community itself. Current competitors, former medallists and prospective athletes are collectively requesting changes to the IOC’s governance and decision-making processes.

Specifically, they call on the IOC to:

  • establish a formal dialogue with athlete representatives;

  • base sponsorship decisions on independent climate science and athlete experience;

  • adopt clear eligibility criteria that exclude fossil fuel companies; and

  • integrate these standards across the IOC’s broader strategic framework.

The proposal mirrors precedents in public health, where industries such as tobacco were ultimately deemed incompatible with the values and wellbeing associated with sport.

A values and governance question

Björn Sandström, the Swedish cross-country skier who initiated the letter, described strong support from fellow athletes and characterised discussions with the IOC to date as constructive. Signatories say they are now seeking a formal process through which athlete perspectives can inform sponsorship policy.

Other athletes have framed the issue as a matter of institutional coherence. Greenlandic biathlete Ukaleq Slettemark argues that sustainability is already embedded in Olympic principles and that “excluding fossil fuel sponsors is a natural next step”. Former French alpine skier and Olympic medallist Florence Masnada points to visible environmental change in mountain regions as further evidence the Olympics “cannot be associated with the promotion of companies” driving climate breakdown. 

The scientific case aligns with these concerns. Johan Rockström, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, notes that “fossil fuels are the number one driver of rising temperatures” and that it is “entirely logical to me that the athletes who have dedicated the most to these sports are saying no to advertising from the companies that are putting them at risk”. 

An inflection point for the Olympic movement

The IOC has increasingly positioned itself as a leader on sustainability, integrating climate considerations into host city requirements and operational planning. The question raised by athletes is whether sponsorship policy should follow the same logic.

As the letter concludes, “just as tobacco was deemed incompatible with the health of athletes, fossil fuels are incompatible with the future of sport.”

The request for dialogue signals a broader shift: climate governance is no longer only an external reputational issue for sporting bodies, but an internal priority for the athletes themselves. How the IOC responds may set an important precedent for the role of fossil fuel sponsorship across international sport.

Liam Killeen