Top alpine skiers have raised alarm over accelerating glacier loss during the Winter Games in Cortina.
Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin said many training glaciers from their early careers have nearly vanished.
Federica Brignone warned the changes threaten the planet, not only the sport.
Glaciers once visible from Cortina have shrunk dramatically.
Major ice masses now lie far from the Olympic venue, and even the Marmolada glacier is melting quickly.
Italy has lost more than 200 square kilometres of glacier area since the late 1950s, according to researchers.
Athletes rely on glaciers for early-season training because of reliable snow.
Warmer temperatures are reducing snow cover, exposing rocks and opening crevasses.
Some traditional training sites are no longer usable.
Scientists say glacier retreat increases water shortages, mountain hazards and sea-level rise.
A deadly collapse on the Marmolada in 2022 showed the growing risks.
Studies suggest the glacier could largely disappear by the mid-2030s under current warming.
Limiting global heating to 1.5°C could preserve around 100 Alpine glaciers and extend their lifespan.
Researchers stress that emissions cuts in this decade will determine how much ice survives.
Many competitors say the changes are impossible to ignore.
They are calling for stronger climate policies and action from sport and industry.
They warn the future of the Winter Olympics itself depends on slowing the melt.
