The daytime temperature in Ruhpolding – a village with 6,500 inhabitants 75 km south-east of Munich – has been 10-16 degrees in recent weeks. And at night there have been no sub-zero temperatures, so all precipitation has fallen as rain and not snow. The last snowfall in the area was more than 3 weeks ago. For that reason, the upcoming International Biathlon (IBU) World Cup in biathlon at the “Chiemgau Arena” with 25,000 spectators in the stands and along the cross-country tracks can be a “mixed pleasure” for the 200 biathletes who will compete in the individual start (Wednesday and Thursday), the relay (Friday: men and Saturday: women) and the mass start (Sunday). Since the mid-1960s, Ruhpolding has hosted annual IBU World Cups and no fewer than 4 World Championships in biathlon – most recently in 2012. Ruhpolding has thus played a major role in biathlon being the second most popular sport in Germany – second only to football.
Man-made climate change has huge costs
It was not until the 1980s that the frightening perspectives of man-made climate change began to seriously gain attention among researchers, the media and politicians. The primary cause of climate change has been an extreme emission of greenhouse gases, especially CO2, by the world’s richest countries, which has warmed the atmosphere, oceans and land all over the globe. Consequences of global warming have been – and continue to be – numerous: the weather is becoming more extreme with more violent storms and major floods, drought, desertification, forest fires, water shortages and failed harvests. The ice is melting in the mountains and at the North and South Poles, the water level in the oceans is rising, plants and animals are dying out because they cannot adapt to the new conditions, and millions of people – especially in Africa, South America and Asia – are being forced into climate change.
Hosting of the 2030 Winter Olympics has been postponed indefinitely
International elite sports are also “victims” of climate change, especially winter sports such as alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, Nordic combined and biathlon. Climate change is also the reason why the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has postponed the decision on the awarding of the host for the Winter Olympics 2030 indefinitely. The decision on hosting in the Winter Olympics 2030 was originally supposed to take place at the upcoming IOC session in June 2023, but the global climate challenges have meant that the IOC is considering introducing minimum requirements for both average temperature and snow depth for future host cities. At present, there are only two serious bids to host the 2030 Winter Olympics: Sapporo in Japan and Salt Lake City in the United States – both cities which have previously (2002 and 1998) hosted the Winter Olympics.
Great need for radical changes
Recent years’ data and analyzes from research institutions – in Germany, France, Switzerland, Austria, Canada and the United States – has clearly shown that there is a great need for radical changes if winter sports such as alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, Nordic combined and biathlon are to “survive”, both for top athletes and everyone else who finds joy and pleasure in winter sports. Global warming has meant that in 25 years more than half of former Winter Olympic host cities will not be able to hold outdoor skiing competitions. Personally, I experienced both at the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver and the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi that the top athletes in alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, Nordic combined, freestyle and biathlon were severely challenged by far too high temperatures, too little and far too “soft” snow.
Everyone has responsibilities – including the IOC and the international federations
The climate challenges of the future can only be solved by radical actions, which must be implemented as soon as possible. Every single person, company and nation all over the globe has a great responsibility for the emission of CO2 to be greatly reduced in the coming years. Of course, the responsibility also rests with the IOC and the international federations, which should “lead the way” as role models by setting concrete objectives and actions for climate improvements. The IBU has taken climate challenges seriously by adopting an ambitious objective and strategy – “IBU Sustainability Strategy 2020-2030” – which commits the IBU to address sustainability in five different areas: Climate, sport, people, facility and event, communication and awareness. The IBU’s climate goal is to reduce CO2 in accordance with the climate goals of the Paris Agreement and to be climate neutral as a sport by 2030 at the latest.
Deep concern among world-class biathlon athletes
World-class biathlon athletes are deeply concerned about the future of their sport due to climate change. The number of training days per season with satisfactory weather conditions has been significantly reduced in recent years. More and more World Cups take place with the help of large amounts of “artificial snow” and high temperatures – also in countries such as Sweden and Norway – conditions which give unfair competitive advantages to the first biathletes on the cross-country tracks. Several top athletes such as Dorothea Wierer (Italy), Emilien Jacquelin (France) and Sebastian Samuelsen (Sweden) have also begun to question the biathletes’ air transport around Europe within fewer and fewer weeks.
The 2026 Winter Olympics at Europe’s highest biathlon arena
The 2026 Winter Olympics will be held with Milan in Northern Italy as the host city. Most skiing competitions are held in Cortina d’Ampezzo and Livigno, while biathlon is held in Antholz-Anterselva, which three years ago hosted the World Championships and which often hosts IBU World Cups. “Arena Alto Adige” is located at an altitude of 1,600 meters and thus the highest arena in Europe. I’m sure the world-class biathletes will have really good conditions at the 2026 Winter Olympics – but then what?
Sources:
International Biathlon Union – https://www.biathlonworld.com
Natalie Knowles, Daniel Scott & Robert Steiger: Winter sports and climate change I: Sport and Environmental Sustainability – Research and Strategic Management. Edited by Greg Dingle & Chryl Mallen (Routledge, 2020).
Sven Schneider & Hans-Guido Mücke: Sport and climate change – how will climate change affect sport? I: German Journal of Exercise and Sport Research (2021) https://doi.org/10.1007/s12662-021-00786-8
Scott, R. Steiger, M. Rutty & P. Johnson: The future of the Olympic Winter Games in an era of climate change. I: Current Issues in Tourism (Routledge, 2015) – https://doi.org/10.1080/13683500.2014.887664
