Norwegian skier Nikolai Schirmer on Feb. 4 delivered a petition calling for action on fossil-fuel sponsorship ahead of the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics, handing the document to the International Olympic Committee’s head of sustainability in Milan. Schirmer said he presented the “Ski Fossil Free” petition at a hotel to Julie Duffus about two days before the Games kick off.
The petition, Schirmer said, is signed by more than 21,000 people and professional athletes who want the IOC and the International Ski and Snowboard Federation to address fossil-fuel marketing tied to winter sports. Schirmer, a filmmaker and two-time European Skier of the Year, told The Associated Press that the IOC informed him it would not allow media to witness the meeting. Afterward, he said, “It seems like the Olympics aren’t ready to be the positive force for change that they have the potential to be,” and added, “So I just hope this can be a little nudge in the right direction, but we will see.”
Schirmer, who is a freeride skier and documents his expeditions across Europe, said the advocacy was driven by what he described as disappearing winter conditions. He said freeride skiing is not an Olympic event but he felt compelled to focus attention on fossil-fuel marketing because “The show goes on while the things you depend on to do your job — winter — is disappearing in front of your very eyes.” He added, “Not dealing with the climate crisis and not having skiing be a force for change just felt insane. We’re on the front lines.”
In the background to the petition, burning fossil fuels — including coal, oil and gas — is the largest contributor to global climate change, the AP reported, and researchers have found that as the Earth warms at a record pace, winters are shorter and milder and there is less snow globally. The AP said those effects create challenges for winter sports that rely on cold, snowy conditions, and that the list of places that can reliably host a Winter Games is expected to shrink.
Schirmer said he launched the petition drive in January and surpassed his goal of 20,000 signatures within one month, with people continuing to sign. He described the effort as a first step, comparing it to a campaign nearly 40 years ago that he said helped lead to a ban on tobacco advertising at the Olympics. He also pointed to United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres urging every country to ban advertising from fossil fuel companies.
During his meeting, Schirmer said Duffus pointed to the IOC’s commitments to renewable energy, but he said that was not enough. The IOC told the AP in a statement that climate change is one of the most significant challenges facing sport and society. The statement did not say whether the IOC will review fossil-fuel marketing, as requested in the petition, and said Olympic partners play an important role in supporting the Games, including those investing in clean energy.
The AP reported that athlete-driven environmental group “Protect Our Winters” supported Schirmer’s petition drive, calling it the first coordinated campaign focused on fossil-fuel advertising centered around an Olympic Games. POW’s chief executive, Erin Sprague, told the AP the effort represented the start of a conversation. American cross-country skier Gus Schumacher said he signed because it begins that conversation, writing in a text message that it is “short-sighted” for teams and events to take sponsorship money from such companies “in exchange for helping them hold status as good, long-term energy producers.” American cross-country skier Jack Berry also backed the petition and said he was hopeful it could drive a systemic shift away from the industry, while seeking a spot on Team USA for the Paralympics in March.
The petition arrives as Italy’s Eni — one of the world’s seven supermajor oil companies — is listed as a “premium partner” of the Winter Games, and the AP reported that other oil and gas companies sponsor Olympic teams. In an emailed response, Eni defended its role, saying it is “strongly committed” to the energy transition and pointing to what it described as growth in lower-carbon businesses, reducing emissions and aiming for carbon neutrality by 2050. Eni spokesperson Roberto Albini wrote that through its partnership with what he described as “the biggest event hosted by Italy in the next 20 years,” Eni wants to confirm its commitment to the country’s future and “to a progressively more sustainable energy system through a fair transition path.” Albini also disputed emissions calculations for Eni described in a January report the AP said the company challenged, called “Olympics Torched,” and he cited the report’s focus on broader emissions linked to fossil fuel promotion and the Games themselves. Stuart Parkinson, executive director at Scientists for Global Responsibility, said in comments to the AP that the Games could pursue sponsorship from lower-carbon sectors instead of those tied to fossil fuels.
Separately, the AP reported that FIS welcomes campaigns like Schirmer’s, with spokesperson Bruno Sassi saying no fossil fuel companies are partners of the FIS World Cup and FIS World Championships.