The FIS Council has now completed its traditional spring meetings at the 46th International Ski Congress in Cape Town (RSA), including the first meeting of the new Council elected by the FIS General Assembly on Friday 30th May. The 2008 FIS Congress was the first International Ski Congress staged on the African continent. Here are some decisions that affected Cross-Country:
Long-term World Cup Calendar Planning
The Council decided that the framework for the FIS World Cup calendars should be based on four-year advanced planning, with key dates and events such as the Opening, Finals and classic events set early. The possibility to include new developing sites in certain pre-defined periods of the calendar should be left open until latest the spring 18 months before the season in question.
Organizers of World Championships 2009
Appointment of the organizers for remaining championships in 2009 include Chamonix/Pras de Lys (FRA) as host of the 2009 FIS Junior Nordic World Ski Championships.
Doping violations / Anti-doping
In relation to the violations of FIS and IOC Anti-Doping Rules on the occasion of the Olympic Winter Games 2006 in Torino, the FIS Council issued its decision concerning the Austrian Ski Association and its leaders and officials. On the basis of the recommendations of the FIS Doping Panel led by Justice Patrick Smith, the Council decided that
• there is no evidence that Peter Schröcksnadel had any personal liability for the events that transpired at the Torino Olympic Winter Games
• Markus Gandler shall be removed from the FIS Cross-Country Committees of which he is a member
• Austrian Ski Association acknowledges that it has some responsibility for the Torino affair inside the Cross-Country sector of its organization
• Austrian Ski Association will accept and pay a fine of CHF 1'000 for every athlete and support staff member found to have violated anti-doping regulations. The low amount of financial sanction considers the fine of CHF 1 million that has already been paid to the International Olympic Committee.
Moreover, the FIS Doping Panel found Cross-Country skier Maxim Odnodvortsev (KAZ) to have committed an anti-doping rule violation contrary to Articles 2.1 of the FIS Anti-Doping Rules. He tested positive for the use of the Prohibited Substance that is identified on the WADA Prohibited List 2007 in Class 2.1b Endogenous Anabolic Androgenic Steroids. Based on laboratory analysis, the sample showed the presence of a T/E ratio > 4. The sample was submitted at a WADA out-of-competition control on 14th February 2007 in Otaki (JPN).
For a first-time violation, the athlete was sanctioned to a two-year period of ineligibility with a credit for the time of the provisional suspension. The period of Ineligibility commences as from the date of the publication and communication of this decision to the Kazakhstan Ski Association on 29th May 2008 with credit for the period of provisional suspension from 9th April 2008 to 28th May 2008. The athlete is therefore ineligible to participate in any capacity in an event or activity authorized or organized by FIS or any National Ski Association from 29th May 2008 until 10th April 2010 and his results shall be annulled from the date on which the Prohibited Substance was found.
Source: FIS
