Team usa’s olympic success proves elite skiing can thrive without toxic “forever chemicals”

For the first time in Olympic history, athletes competed without fluorinated ski waxes containing PFAS—the notorious “forever chemicals” that never break down in the environment. The results from the Milan-Cortina Olympics deliver a resounding message: world-class skiing doesn’t need these toxic substances to achieve excellence.

Team USA’s performance has been nothing short of spectacular, with more than a dozen medals already secured. Most remarkably, the cross-country ski team achieved its largest medal haul ever, including Ben Ogden’s historic silver that broke a 50-year American drought in men’s Nordic skiing. This success came despite competing without the fluorinated waxes that had been considered essential since the 1980s, providing what one former racer called a “really ridiculous speed advantage.”

The transition hasn’t been without challenges. Ski technicians have had to completely rethink their strategies, relying more heavily on ski selection and base preparation rather than the chemical boost that fluoro waxes provided. “These have been some of the trickiest three weeks of waxing I’ve experienced,” said Chris Hecker, a Team USA ski technician. The ban, implemented by the International Ski Federation in 2023, has already resulted in several disqualifications, proving enforcement is serious.

The stakes extend far beyond sports performance. PFAS chemicals have been linked to thyroid disease, developmental problems, and cancer, contaminating water, soil, and bloodstreams worldwide. Team USA’s medal success demonstrates that protecting human health and environmental safety doesn’t require sacrificing athletic excellence—a victory that resonates far beyond the medal podium.