The ski world is seething. The controversial President Johan Eliasch was confirmed in office for another four years yesterday at the Congress of the International Ski Federation (FIS) in Milan. The Swedish-British businessman, owner of the ski manufacturer Head, achieved 70 out of 126 votes and thus the majority. But 56 expressed their disagreement by abstaining.
Eliasch took over the post in June 2021 from the late Swiss Gian Franco Kasper. When re-elected, he was the only candidate, and the vote at the General Assembly should have been by acclamation. At the request of several delegates, a secret ballot was arranged. During the election, some officials left the hall in anger.
Austria’s long-standing Ski President Peter Schröcks Nadel, who was the driving force behind the Eliasch election last year, is no longer in his camp, although he received a standing ovation yesterday for his long service on the FIS Board, later his appointment was unanimous to honorary member. The red-white-red representative on the board instead of the Tyrolean who last served as vice president is Patrick Ortlieb from Vorarlberg.
Schröcksnadel and his powerful colleagues are angry that Eliasch wants to reform the FIS immediately. Among other things, he is striving for central marketing, but the rights for World Cup competitions have usually been held by the national associations.
A significantly new point in the next season is that after the World Championships in Meribel/Courchevel in February, the men will be going to North America again. For Eliasch this is a necessity: “Ski racing is big in the USA, but the FIS is not as planned there as it should be,” he said. And he is also increasingly focusing on China. “We hope to have China on the calendar in all disciplines.”
“The choice was transparent”
Despite the miserable voting result, Eliasch wants to continue undeterred on his way. “We need change, we need change,” said the FIS boss after the election. The fact that there were discrepancies does not irritate Eliasch. “There are different opinions, it’s a democracy. But the election was transparent.” Small national associations in particular, who hope to get more money from his reform plans, voted for Eliasch.
Source: Nachrichten
