Athlete Sustainability Survey 2025: 92% of biathletes say climate change already impacts biathlon
For most biathletes, climate change is no longer abstract. It shows up, season after season: a winter that starts later than expected, snow cover that doesn’t last as long, a training plan that’s rewritten because conditions are unstable.
To better understand current athlete perspectives on climate and sustainability in general, the IBU partnered with its current Sustainability Athlete Ambassadors to survey athletes’ views on sustainability and climate. The data were collected at the start of the 2025/2026 season, four years after the initial survey in 2021.
Almost universal feeling that climate change is here, felt personally by three-quarters
Nearly all athletes surveyed believe climate change has already impacted biathlon (92% of respondents; an increase of 5% over 2021), and almost three quarters (72%; +13%) say they have felt such impacts personally. Compared with 2021, the sense of immediacy has clearly grown. What once felt distant now feels close to home!
“Yes, climate change has impacted me directly. As a winter sport athlete, I see warmer winters, less stable snow, and shorter ski seasons. It affects my training, competition.
More biathletes are extremely concerned
Concern about the future remains high, but it has changed shape. Many biathletes describe themselves as deeply worried about the future of winter sport, with a growing group saying they are extremely concerned (28%; +3%).
Climate change has made it more rare to ski on natural snow. World Cups take place on artificial snow while on the ground there is no natural snow at all. That makes me believe that our sport will die out in the future.
Awareness is high and most try to do their part
Athletes are doing what they can in their everyday lives: Recycling is routine. Many have made changes to reduce their personal impact and make conscious food choices. Sustainability education is now more embedded than what it was four years ago, with 80% of the athletes having learned about climate change at school or university, or through the IBU Sustainability Education programs.
The big picture: From personal to societal change
But when it comes to doing more, the tone softens. The athletes don't believe they can change their lifestyles further than they already have. Approximately 6 out of 10 are willing take part in formal campaigns or post on social media. This does not suggest disengagement, but rather a desire for sustainability and climate protection to become part of a systemic change, rather than relying on individual effort alone.
I’m most concerned about climate change, waste pollution, and responsible use of natural resources, especially in winter sports. I care about clean air, clean snow and sustainable sport development for next generations.
When athletes talk about solutions, they are clear and consistent. They call for optimized calendar planning and logistics to reduce travel, such as fewer flights and better shared transport options. They also would like to see practical improvements at venues, from circularity to more sustainable food and less packaging. Many also highlight the need for long-term planning around snow reliability and climate adaptation.
About the survey
The 2025 athlete sustainability survey was designed to find out how the elite athletes feel about sustainability and climate matters. It was conducted among IBU athletes competing internationally on the World Cup, Para World Cup, IBU Cup or Junior Cup. 58% of the 105 responding athletes race on the World Cup. The responding athletes hail from 26 different countries. 56% of the respondents were female, 44% male.
Athlete Sustainability Survey 2025
Inscrivez-vous à notre newsletter
Suivez-nous sur :
