CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Some athletes at the Milan Cortina Paralympics have competed in shorts, T-shirts and tank tops as warm conditions have changed the feel of events on snow they said was softer than expected. Athletes also raised concerns about safety while debating whether the Paralympics should be held earlier in the year, when colder weather is more reliable.
American Para snowboarder Brenna Huckaby said she wants to “represent the disability community” on a snowboard and give a strong performance, but added that she was not willing to put herself at risk. “I’m here to represent the disability community on a snowboard, and I want to give the best show that I can,” Huckaby said. “But I’m not going to kill myself in the process … I’ve got two kids at home, and I’m already disabled. I’m not trying to disable myself more.”
Zach Miller, an American Para snowboarder who said he wants the Games moved to colder months, described what he said were unfavorable effects from the heat on snow texture and racing. “If it were my decision, I would absolutely move the Olympics and Paralympics,” Miller said. He said he took up the sport after watching the U.S. team sweep the debut of men’s Para snowboard cross at the 2014 Sochi Paralympics, and he finished sixth in the snowboard cross finals at these Games.
Miller said the conditions have been especially frustrating for athletes like him, who he described as lighter riders. He said lighter racers can be at a disadvantage in maintaining momentum in softer snow, and he said warming conditions lead competitors to minimize mistakes and ride conservatively because, as he put it, “everything you’re going to do is going to be punished out there on the snow.” He added: “You’re worried about your own safety on course, you don’t feel like you can be the athlete that you know you are.”
In other events, warm weather affected athletes’ clothing choices and training plans. German Para biathlete Marco Maier pushed through mushy snow while wearing shorts and a short-sleeved shirt to avoid overheating, joking that “We have the Summer Games now” and calling it “a challenge.” Organizers also canceled practice sessions for skiing and snowboarding to preserve the course for both performance and safety, and some race starts were moved earlier or rescheduled to another day to reduce the impact of forecasts, including rain expected for Saturday.
The article said the sun had been out nearly every day in Cortina d’Ampezzo, with afternoons warming quickly and highs reaching nearly 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 degrees Celsius). It reported that organizers have used advanced snowmaking systems to complement natural snowfall, monitored weather and temperatures, and reviewed schedules regularly to maintain safety and fair competition.
Climate scientists and sports officials linked the conditions to broader warming. Climate Central meteorologist Shel Winkley said the early March warmth would be “almost impossible” without the influence of climate change. Researchers, the article said, project that places able to reliably host Winter Games will shrink, and it noted that the International Olympic Committee has said it is considering rotating the Games among a permanent pool of suitable locations and holding them earlier as March becomes too warm for the Paralympics.
The International Paralympic Committee, the article said, is working with the IOC on date considerations, though Craig Spence, the IPC’s chief brand and communications officer, said moving the Games is complicated by other major winter competitions. Spence dismissed complaints about conditions this year and said courses had been excellent, but he acknowledged a continuing problem, saying, “Clearly climate change is not going to go away. We’re very conscious of its impact on not just winter sports, but also summer sports,” and adding that temperatures have been rising at Paralympic Winter Games for the last few editions.
Medical professionals said snow quality can be a specific safety issue for Para athletes. Dr. Jaap Stomphorst, a sports physician at the Isala hospital in the Netherlands, said poor snow quality has a “big influence” on injury and accident rates among Paralympians, citing how sit-ski racers cannot adjust for ruts by shifting weight and how bumps can be particularly problematic for visually impaired skiers. Dr. Sarah Eby, head team physician for the U.S. Para Alpine Ski Team, said athletes without disabilities have “two knees” and muscles working as needed, while Para athletes may have only one leg and rely more on equipment they cannot adjust.
Despite the conditions, some athletes said they were trying to adapt. Andrew Haraghey, a U.S. Para Alpine skier, said, “We’re making it work, but it’s not ideal,” and added, “I think it’s as safe as it’s going to be,” saying the situation meant “people are pushing the limits.” Canadian Para snowboarder Sandrine Hamel said women’s events are held first in cooler morning conditions, while it is warmer when men compete later, adding: “I get the best and it’s already hot, warm, slower and bumpier,” with “So they get even worse than that.” Canadian Para snowboarder Tyler Turner said: “We’re good at this,” and described that amputees and injured athletes can adapt quickly, saying he has to “ride and keep my eyes open and stay aware of what’s happening out there on the track.”