Top Alpine skiers have raised alarm over rapidly shrinking glaciers during the Winter Olympics in Cortina.
Lindsey Vonn said many glaciers she trained on as a child have almost disappeared.
Mikaela Shiffrin added that athletes witness climate change firsthand on the mountains.
Glaciers once visible from the host town have retreated to high elevations.
Italy has lost more than 200 square kilometres of glacier area since the late 1950s.
Scientists report the pace of melting has accelerated in the past two decades.
Skiers rely on glaciers for early-season training and reliable snow.
Their decline puts the future of the sport at risk.
Federica Brignone said the changes concern her not only for skiing but for the planet.
The nearby Marmolada glacier has shrunk by half in 25 years.
Researchers warn it could largely vanish by 2034 under current warming trends.
Limiting global heating to 1.5°C could preserve many Alpine glaciers for longer.
Melting ice also threatens water supplies, increases mountain hazards and raises sea levels.
Athletes from several nations say training conditions worsen each year with less snow and more exposed rock.
Some skiers now campaign against fossil fuel sponsorship in winter sports.
They argue urgent emissions cuts are needed to slow ice loss.
Many believe the number of viable Winter Olympic venues will fall sharply if warming continues.
