Top alpine skiers say shrinking glaciers are threatening the future of their sport.
Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin said many training glaciers they once used have already disappeared.
Host nation Italy has lost more than 200 square kilometres of glacier area since the late 1950s.
Glaciers around Cortina d’Ampezzo have retreated dramatically, leaving only small ice patches high in the Dolomites.
The Marmolada glacier, the region’s largest, is also melting quickly and could be mostly gone within a decade under current warming.
Scientists report an accelerating and continuous loss of ice.
The changes affect water supplies, increase mountain hazards and contribute to sea-level rise.
Globally, more than 6.5 trillion tonnes of glacier ice has vanished since 2000.
Italian champion Federica Brignone said the retreat is now visible every year.
Several athletes added that unsafe conditions, exposed rock and flowing water already limit training.
Researchers say cutting greenhouse gas emissions could still preserve some Alpine glaciers.
Without rapid action, the number of viable Winter Olympic venues will shrink sharply.
Many skiers argue their sport must take a leading role in pushing for climate action.
