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≡ FIS ELECTIONS ≡
The International Ski & Snowboard Federation will held 57th Congress in Belgrade (SRB) on Thursday, with elections for President and the FIS Council, and plenty of drama.
The incumbent is billionaire Johan Eliasch, born in Sweden, a British citizen who ran to be the President of the International Olympic Committee in 2025. He is running for a second full term and where he had support from most of the major skiing nations in 2021, many are opposed to him now:
● On 5 May, a joint letter from Austria, Canada, Germany, Norway, Spain, Switzerland and the U.S. urged the other 134 national federations NOT to vote for Eliasch, citing access to information, a lack of engagement with the FIS leadership, and money:
“FIS is in a very serious financial situation which has deteriorated significantly over the past five years. Cash reserves have declined substantially, annual operating costs have increased significantly, and revenues have not developed as anticipated. Despite recent presentations and appeasements.”
● There were four candidates who filed to run against Eliasch: FIS Council members Alex Ospelt (LIE), Anna Harboe Falkenberg (DEN) and Dexter Paine (USA), and GB Snowsport chief executive Victoria Gosling (GBR).
● On 26 May, Falkenberg and Paine withdrew, leaving Gosling and Ospelt to contest Eliasch.
● On Friday (5th), FIS announced that its chief executive, Urs Lehmann (SUI), who finished second to Eliasch in the 2021 election and had joined the FIS headquarters with a view to better ties with the federation in August 2025, has left.
A report in Swiss media noted Lehmann’s concerns over FIS’ finances and a deteriorating working situation within the FIS office.
● On Monday, Gosling withdrew from the Presidential race and will stand only for the FIS Council, stating in a letter to other federations seen by The Sports Examiner:
“What has become increasingly clear, however, is that FIS stands at a point where unity matters above all else. Our athletes, National Ski Associations, partners and fans expect a federation that is confident, cohesive and focused on the future. At a time when our collective strength will determine our success, I believe the most valuable contribution I can make is one that helps bring people together and reinforces our shared purpose.”
Said an insider on Gosling’s withdrawal, speaking on the condition of anonymity: “This was anticipated. Previously, Dexter and Anna strategically departed. This leaves Alex Ospelt from Liechtenstein to go up against Johan. Alex will have strong support from most major nations, with the possible exceptions of France, Italy, and Australia.”
So now Ospelt, 58, faces off against Eliasch, 64, who was nominated by the Georgian federation after the Swedish and British federations preferred someone else.
Ospelt’s campaign document aims squarely at the issues that have come to the fore over Eliasch:
“I am standing as a candidate for the presidency of FIS to build bridges: with small and large associations, with athletes, with the industry, sponsors, media and fans. The FIS, as I envision it, is open and transparent, fostering connections and balancing the many stakeholder interests across our wonderful sports.
“I come from a small skiing nation and act independently of the agendas of the larger federations or alliances formed to advance particular interests. My lifelong passion for winter sports and my extensive experience in international relations and in dialogue between differing interests will enable me to unite FIS and lead it towards greater prosperity. Only a united FIS can remain a credible representative of our sports’ interests, both within and beyond the organisation.”
A lawyer by trade, Ospelt was head of the Liechtenstein ski federation from 2016-23 and a FIS Council member since 2024. His brochure notes his ideas for the future also include expansions where possible:
“To secure the growth of snow sports, FIS must continuously create new offerings to remain relevant to emerging target audiences and to inspire and retain its fans. Openness to new sports and disciplines is just as important as the ongoing development of what already exists, in order to provide competition formats that are attractive to athletes, fans, and the media.”
He also took aim at the concerns of those federations who have worried about a perceived concentration of authority in the FIS office:
“Our statutes do not provide for a centrally controlled organisation or central governing body. The FIS I envision connects snow sports across the globe, listens to its stakeholders, and aligns its actions with their needs.”
Eliasch has centralized media rights within the control of the FIS office, and a 2028 “FIS Games” with all of the disciplines included, as a massive celebration of snow sports. He stated the case for his re-election in a lavishly-illustrated, 42-page brochure, stating:
“The transformation we began in 2021 is real. It is working. It is gaining momentum. But it is only the beginning.
“The foundations are strong, the direction is clear, and the opportunity ahead is even greater. I am immensely proud of what we have achieved together. Because every step forward has been a collective effort. And yet, I am running again for a simple reason: we are not finished.”
On Thursday, it will be up to the voters.
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