Three competitors have been disqualified from competitions at the Milan–Cortina Winter Olympics due to suspected use of ski waxes that include per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) announced a prohibition on these waxes in 2019, which took effect in 2023 and includes testing for fluorinated ski waxes via Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. This marks the first Winter Olympics to implement such a restriction.
What are PFAS?
PFAS – commonly referred to as ‘forever chemicals’ – consist of an estimated 15,000 synthetic chemicals that have been extensively utilized in consumer goods worldwide since the 1950s. They all possess a distinctive carbon chain with numerous fluorine atoms attached. Due to the strength of the carbon–fluorine bond, they do not easily break down in the environment. The remarkable properties of these compounds impart traits like resistance to oil, grease, and water, along with durability against heat and reduced friction. This results in products that are non-stick and stain-resistant.
Nevertheless, PFAS are highly mobile in nature and can bioaccumulate as well as biomagnify throughout the food chain. PFOA and PFOS, the most researched chemicals in this category, have been associated with severe health issues such as reproductive and developmental problems, weakened immune response, and various cancer types.
Last week, two female South Korean cross-country skiers and a Japanese male snowboarder were disqualified from Olympic events after their gear tested positive for PFAS waxes. The trio has only been banned from the events where their gear tested positive for PFAS and may still participate in other competitions. Japanese snowboarder Shiba Masaki objected, noting that he had utilized the same board and wax in elite competitions preceding these Olympics without any positive tests.
‘I have undergone fluorine testing at every World Cup event with the same board and wax setup, and have never tested positive,’ Masaki stated on Instagram. ‘For waxing, we handle our own during practice, but during competitions, we officially asked a professional serviceman to finish the board.’
Meanwhile, South Korean news sources reported that the Korean Sport and Olympic Committee stated that the women’s cross-country team ordered wax that adheres to FIS regulations but received products from their long-term supplier that were allegedly contaminated.
The water-repellent properties of PFAS-containing products give athletes ‘a significant advantage in wet or humid conditions,’ but they also do not decompose, as FIS explained. ‘Evidence has emerged that PFAS from melted snow runoff has tainted water and food systems. A 2022 survey later revealed over 80% of American waterways contained PFAS.’ Furthermore, FIS stressed that PFAS do not degrade within the human body and have been linked to various illnesses and health issues.
Recent studies have also shown significantly elevated PFAS levels in the blood of ski wax technicians compared to other professions and the general populace.
Rebecca Aicher, project director for the American Association for the Advancement of Science’s Center for Scientific Evidence in Public Issues, notes that ski wax is recognized as a source of PFAS. ‘Researchers in the US have sampled snow at ski resorts and near them, discovering that ski wax is frequently found in higher concentrations in snow where PFAS-containing waxes have been used,’ she informs Chemistry World. ‘They also observed differences between natural areas and spots with a high population of skiers,’ she added. ‘Thus, the PFAS from ski wax, regardless of usage, is appearing on the snow.’
One of the challenges posed by PFAS-containing products is tracking their supply chain, Aicher points out. ‘I’m unclear on how ski wax is labeled … and I’m uncertain if a governing body that would ban it would also provide a list of brands that are PFAS-free,’ she remarks.
Aside from PFAS in ski and snowboard waxes, Aicher mentions that PFAS has also been detected in the so-called ‘tech suits’ worn by Olympic swimmers. However, she highlights that virtually any professional sports gear requiring waterproofing, friction reduction, or stain resistance could potentially contain PFAS.