We must act. Six days from the election of the next IOC president, 400 athletes who participated in the Olympic Games signed a letter addressed to the seven candidates. All of them are asking that "the protection of our planet" be the priority of Thomas Bach's successor. “Rising temperatures and extreme weather are already disrupting the competition calendar, putting iconic venues at risk and affecting the health of athletes and fans.”they write. “Extreme heat raises real concerns about the possibility of organizing a safe Summer Games in the coming years, and the Winter Games are becoming increasingly difficult to organize, with reliable snow and ice conditions diminishing each year. This is no longer a distant threat, but aa current and growing danger to the sports we love and for the countries that make up our Olympic family."
The signatories thus call for “to preserve the spirit of the Games by ensuring that sport remains accessible and safe for future generations” through four measures: strengthen commitments to rapidly reduce carbon emissions, promote sustainable practices in host cities, set standards for highly polluting partnerships and use the IOC platform to advocate for broader environmental action. "We would be grateful if you would give us the opportunity to meet with you early in your presidency to discuss these commitments for the coming years.", conclude the athletes. The list of signatories represents 89 countries and includes more than 65 Olympic champions. Australian swimmer Emma McKeon, Colombian cyclist Mariana Pajon, British sailor Ben Ainslie, Jamaican skier Benjamin Alexander and Canadian kayaker Adam van Koeverden are among them. Eight French athletes The following joined this initiative: Benjamin Lang (rowing), Boris Neveu (kayaking), Clémence Grimal (snowboarding), Denis Mesples (horse riding), Marie Martinod (freestyle skiing), Mélina Robert-Michon (athletics), Myriam Glez (artistic swimming) and Pierre Vaultier (snowboard cross).
