At its meeting in the host city for the Olympic Winter Games Vancouver 2010 on 12th June 2009, hosted by the Canadian Snowsports Association, the FIS Council dealt with a full agenda. Amongst the items there were reports from Organizing Committees from the concluded 2009 as well as the future FIS World Championships, proposals from the FIS Technical Committees with calendar updates and developments to various rules. The main decisions include the following:
Decisions directly related to ski sports
FIS World Cup calendars
At its meeting in Levi (FIN) on 14th November 2008, the Council approved the FIS World Cup calendars for the 2009/2010 season. In Vancouver, the Council approved some adjustments proposed by the respective Technical Committees and confirmed the final versions which will be published on the FIS Website (on Monday 14th June).
Editor’s Note: There were no changes to the draft Cross-Country schedule published earlier in the spring. This schedule can be found here.
Program for FIS Nordic World Ski Championships 2011 in Oslo (NOR)
In the case of the competition program for the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships Oslo 2011, the Council approved the program with four competitions for Ski Jumping (individual normal hill, individual large hill, team event large hill and team event normal hill) and three Nordic Combined competitions according to the new format for the discipline (Gundersen large hill, Gundersen normal hill and team event on the large hill).
Additionally, the Council decided that the request of the Nordic Combined Committee to maintain four events on the program by including a team event on the normal hill will be thoroughly considered and reviewed again at the Council’s meeting in November 2009.
In regard to the proposal of the Norwegian Ski Association to consider a team event for the ladies’ Ski Jumping, the Council decided that the sport is not yet sufficiently developed in terms of numbers and performance levels to merit a team event in 2011, but hopes that there will be sufficient progress that the inclusion of a team event for ladies’ Ski Jumping will be possible in the future.
Schedule for election of organizers for the 2014/2015 FIS World Championships
The schedule for presentations to the FIS Council during the FIS Congress week in Antalya (TUR) by the Candidates for the FIS World Ski Championships 2014 and 2015 will take place on Tuesday 1st June, with election by the Council taking place on Thursday 3rd June.
Administrative Decisions
FIS Finances
The Council acknowledged that the present worldwide financial crisis has affected the position of FIS despite its conservative investment policy. The total income for the period is in accordance with the budget, whereby the operational expenses remain under budget thanks to careful housekeeping.
Support for Developing Ski Nations
The Council approved the proposed program entitled “Aid and Promotion for developing ski nations” and the budget for the period from 1st May 2009 – 30th April 2010. A number of applications from National Ski Associations for FIS Solidarity support to assist with special projects relating to the development of the sport were also approved.
Seminar to address economies
The Council approved the organization of a forum by FIS with all stakeholders – FIS, National Ski Associations, Ski Industry, Organizers and Media – to openly address ways in which all parties can make economies to lower the overall cost of ski competitions. In principle the seminar will take place during the FIS Technical Committee Meetings in Zurich at the end of September 2009.
European Ski Federation
The Council took note that a new body named the European Ski Federation had been formed by the Presidents of the National Ski Associations of Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland. It did not express any opinion about the organization until it receives more details about the intentions.
FIS Athletes’ Commission
The Council approved the composition of the FIS Athletes’ Commission as follows:
Cross-Country ladies: Kikkan Randall (USA)
Cross-Country men: Sami Jauhojärvi (FIN)
Ski Jumping: Andreas Küttel (SUI)
Nordic Combined: Jan Schmid (NOR)
Alpine Skiing ladies: Anja Pärson (SWE)
Alpine Skiing ladies: Marie Marchand-Arvier (FRA)
Alpine Skiing men: Killian Albrecht (BUL)
Alpine Skiing men: Ivica Kostelic (CRO)
Freestyle ladies: Karin Huttary (AUT)
Freestyle men: Ryan Blais (CAN)
Snowboard ladies: Juliane Bray (NZE)
Snowboard men: Mateusz Ligocki (POL)
Anti-Doping Activities
Besides acknowledging FIS’s various activities in support of the global fight against cheating in sport, including participation in the recently-established WADA Athlete Passport Working Group, the Council decided that an athlete found to have committed a doping offence will have their FIS points deleted.
Source: FIS
