The invention is directed to polymers containing a repeating unit derived from a norbornene sulfonamide. These may be addition polymers which include copolymers with one or more comonomers such as norbornene, ethylene, an acrylate or sulfur dioxide or carbon monoxide. Said monomers may be polymerized using single or multicomponent Group VIII catalysts. The norbornene sulfonamides can also form ROMP polymers using known metathesis catalysts. Preferably the ROMP polymers may be hydrogenated to give more stable polymers.