Ainslie heads 400 Olympians urging IOC to take fight to climate change
British sailing great Sir Ben Ainslie heads a list of 400 Olympians who have signed a letter urging the next president of the IOC to prioritise tackling climate change.
Other signatories include swimmer Emma McKeon, Australia’s most decorated Olympian, Ferdinand Omanyala, Africa’s fastest sprinter, refugee boxer Cindy Ngamba and Paris 2024 surfing gold medallist Carissa Moore.
It was organised by Ainslie’s compatriot and fellow sailor Hannah Mills and comes as the IOC (International Olympic Committee) prepares to gather in Greece next week to elect a new president to succeed Thomas Bach.
“To the incoming president, we ask that over the coming years and the course of your presidency one issue be above all others: the care of our planet,” the letter says.
“Rising temperatures and extreme weather are already disrupting competition schedules, putting iconic venues at risk and affecting the health of athletes and fans.
“This year’s devastating wildfires in Los Angeles — host city of the 2028 Olympic Games — are a stark reminder of why bold action is needed.
“Extreme heat is raising real concerns about whether Summer Games can be held safely in future years, and Winter Games are becoming harder to organize with reliable snow and ice conditions diminishing annually.
“This is no longer a distant threat, but a current and growing harm to the sports we love and to the countries that make up our Olympic family.”
Ainslie and Mills team up again for planet
The coalition of athletes, drawn from 89 countries and with 245 Olympic medals between them, has urged the next IOC president to take action in four areas.
They are: “Strengthening commitments to swiftly cut carbon emissions; championing sustainable practices in host cities; setting a standard regarding high polluting sponsorships; using the IOC’s platform to advocate for broader environmental action.”
It adds: “Never has upholding the Olympic motto, ‘Faster, Higher, Stronger – Together’, been more essential. We ask that in the years ahead you lead through action, ensuring that the Games remain a source of unity while protecting the future of sport.”
Fourt-time Olympic champion Ainslie and double gold medallist Mills previously collaborated on a climate education platform aimed at young people through the Great Britain SailGP Team.
Mills, an IOC sustainability ambassador, hailed the united front. “I’m not sure we’ve ever seen so many athletes from around the world speak with one voice,” she said.
“The terrible LA wildfires couldn’t have been clearer: the time is now to set a course for a safe, bright future. As a sailor and a mum, this hits close to home.
“The Olympics has held and fulfilled the dreams of so many over its history. But I can’t have any bigger dream than a future in which my children can thrive.”
Lord Coe, the current president of World Athletics, is among seven candidates to run the IOC.