CORTINA D’AMPAZZO, Italy and LUCERNE, Switzerland, Feb. 26, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — As warm winters increasingly disrupt global sporting events, even the future of the Winter Olympics is being openly questioned.
IOC Olympic Games Executive Director Christophe Dubi recently asked: “Should we continue to make ice for skating?” He added, “The day we can slide down a bobsleigh track without having to cool it with 25 tons of glycol will be a game changer… The same goes for ice rinks. A Swiss company has come up with a completely synthetic ice that has the same glide coefficient and therefore the same feel.”
The company Dubi referred to is Glice, a Swiss cleantech firm that has developed a fully synthetic skating surface designed to replicate the performance of refrigerated ice—without water, energy-intensive cooling systems, or chemical refrigerants.
With climate change shortening winter seasons and raising operational costs, the legitimacy and sustainability of traditional ice-based competition are under scrutiny. Refrigerated rinks require vast amounts of electricity and, in many cases, environmentally harmful coolants. For host cities facing rising temperatures, maintaining competition-grade ice is becoming increasingly complex and expensive.
Glice states that Europe’s largest applied research institute has confirmed in laboratory testing that its surface rivals refrigerated ice in glide performance. Achieving that benchmark required years of material engineering.
“Imitating nature with its very hard core and low-friction surface has been a challenge,” said Viktor Meier, CEO of Glice. “Traditional synthetic ice allows blades to sink too deeply, creating resistance comparable to an icebreaker ship plowing through ice. Last September, we achieved a breakthrough—matching not only the glide of refrigerated ice, but also the precise blade indentation required for elite performance.”
The Swiss Federal Department of Foreign Affairs, positioning Switzerland as a leader in climate innovation, has invited Glice to showcase the technology at the Olympics’ House of Switzerland. Two full-scale synthetic curling rinks are on display.
“Glice curling rinks are extremely popular with our guests and demonstrate what could be possible for future Olympic Games,” said Manuel Salchli, Head of the House of Switzerland.
As global temperatures rise, innovations like synthetic, zero-energy ice surfaces may redefine how winter sports are staged—and whether they remain viable at all.
About Glice
Glice develops premium synthetic ice surfaces engineered for true skating performance, enabling ice sports in any climate with lower operational impact. Headquartered in Switzerland, Glice supports sport, education, and entertainment partners worldwide.
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