Leading Alpine skiers have raised alarm over accelerating glacier loss 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.
Italy has lost more than 200 square kilometres of glacier area since the late 1950s, according to researchers.
Glaciers once visible from Cortina have shrunk to small ice patches high in the Dolomites.
The nearby Marmolada glacier has halved in 25 years and could largely vanish by 2034 if warming continues.
Federica Brignone said the retreat worries her more for the planet than for skiing.
Other competitors report exposed rock, flowing water and dangerous crevasses on former training sites.
Some traditional early-season glacier camps now lack sufficient snow.
Scientists say glacier loss threatens water supplies, increases mountain hazards and raises sea levels.
More than 6.5 trillion tonnes of ice have disappeared globally since 2000.
The number of viable Winter Olympic host locations is expected to shrink.
Researchers stress that limiting warming to 1.5°C could preserve many Alpine glaciers.
Athletes are urging faster emissions cuts and stronger environmental action to protect the future of their sport.
