Oilympics: The Games on Thin Ice

To the International Olympic Committee

The world is in the grip of a climate crisis that is already destroying lives, communities, and entire ecosystems. At this moment – when global cooperation and moral leadership are more essential than ever – the Olympic movement, and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) itself, should stand as a beacon of integrity and unity, using its unique power to bring together disparate groups and lead the world toward a better future.

That is why we are calling on you to end all current and future sponsorship and partnership agreements with oil and gas corporations, including Eni, for the Winter Olympics and Paralympics.

Fossil fuel companies have knowingly driven the climate crisis for decades. Their activities continue to accelerate the loss of the very winter landscapes, snowpack, and environmental stability upon which the Winter Olympics and Paralympics depend. According to research commissioned by the IOC, by the 2080s over half of IOC suitable locations will be climatically unreliable to host the Winter Olympics. Instead of paying for the damage they have caused – through fines, taxes, and meaningful contributions to climate justice – these companies are spending vast sums on sponsorships to cleanse their public image and associate themselves with the values of athletic excellence and global unity.

Allowing oil and gas corporations, like Eni, to sponsor the Olympic and Paralympic Games enables reputation-laundering that directly contradicts the Olympic values – especially the commitment to respect athletes, protect the environment, and serve the public. It undermines athletes who are already speaking out about how the climate crisis is damaging their sports, weakens public trust in the Olympic movement, and aligns the Games with industries whose actions threaten the future of sport itself.

We urge the IOC to use its unique position of global trust and influence to again show leadership. The IOC was a global leader in the fight against tobacco, banning advertising in 1988 in the face of irrefutable evidence about the negative health impacts of smoking. It was the right decision and the IOC’s bold and decisive action has been not only vindicated but lauded. The evidence that climate change poses serious health risks at a global scale is overwhelming. We again implore the IOC to break ties with fossil fuel sponsors and work instead with partners who reflect the Olympic Charter’s commitment to respect, responsibility, and a sustainable future for all.

The world is watching the Winter Olympics. Athletes are watching. Young people – those who will inherit this crisis – are watching. We have seen before how global sporting events are used to launder the reputations of polluters. The Olympics and Paralympics should inspire hope, not provide cover for those fueling climate destruction.

It’s time to choose a different path.

Drop oil and gas sponsorship from the Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games – and commit to ending fossil fuel sponsorship across all Olympic Games.