Sochi Games Athletes Sign Petition to Fight Climate Change

Over a hundred winter Olympians signed a petition to wage a battle against climate change in the midst of the challenging weather at the Sochi Games.

A U.S. cross country skier Andrew Newell, 30, who had been attending international ski competitions since 2001 wrote in the petition: "The once-consistent winters that I saw as a young kid are no more, especially near my home in Vermont." Out of the 10 countries and 105 Olympians who gave their signatures, 85 were Americans.

The athletes are calling for countries to initiate and actively participate in the global effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions that trap heat, utilize "clean energy" and to prepare for a unified stance in the upcoming climate convention to be held by the United Nations in Paris by 2015.

Although athletes have previously voiced out their advocacies, this marks their first unified stand against climate change. They have their own stories to share regarding the changing climate's effect on them.

Alex Deibold, 27, a snowboarder who made his debut in the U.S Champs in 2007 added: "The fall training camps that I used to participate in when I was a student at Stratton Mountain School in Stratton, Vermont, are not really feasible any more due to lack of snow and warmer conditions. I want my kids and other kids to be able to enjoy the outdoors the same way I did."

The "Olympic Athletes Against Climate Change" petition by Newell was supported by Deibold, Kikkan Randall, an American skier, Danny Davis and Arielle Gold, both American snowboarders, Bettina Gruber from Switzerland, Astrid Jacobson of Norway and Elena Runggaldier, an Italian ski jumper.

The executive director of the advocacy group Protect Our Winters (POW) Chris Steinkamp also aired his sentiments to USA Today: "Vancouver was a wake-up call." He recalled how the warm weather experienced in the Olympics last 2010 caused significant delays as extra snow had to be trucked in, inconveniencing some athletes when practice days on the halfpipe were cancelled.

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