Photos of Glacier Excavation on FIS Course Draw Outrage
Environmental organization calls action “incomprehensible”
Image: Andreas, Adobe Stock
Update: it was uncovered that the photos in question were not taken at the Theodul Glacier
Photos have emerged of excavators digging up the Theodul Glacier to prepare runs for the upcoming International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) World Cup downhill races in Zermatt/Cervinia on November 11th and 12th, 18th and 19th, 2023. The images have sparked anger in environmental leaders and organizations across the industry.
Protect Our Winters Switzerland posted the photos on their Instagram feed, stating, “Such a spectacle is incomprehensible at a time when glacier melt is accelerating and glaciers have lost 10% of their volume in the last two years alone.”
Race organizers denied the allegations, telling blue News that the excavation is a safety measure, “It’s about filling the crevasses with ice and snow in order to secure them,” David Taugwalder, media manager of the Zermatt organizing committee, told the publication.
The future of the ski industry as a whole is on thin ice due to warming temperatures across the planet, so much so that the IOC has delayed their decision for the 2030 Winter Olympics host city. These actions come on the heels of a dismal season in Europe. Snow was hard to come by in the region during the 2022-2023 season; FIS canceled at least two events due to high temperatures.
