FIS – FasterSkier.com

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News Racing(Press Release) Change of 2022 FIS Junior and U23 WSC Cross-Country host

FasterSkierSeptember 15, 2021

The FIS was informed by the Polish Ski Federation that the Cross-Country competitions of the Junior and U23 World Ski Championships 2022 cannot be held in Zakopane due to a planned construction in direct surrounding of the planned venue of the Cross-Country track. All events in Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined will be able to take place as previously planned. The FIS, together with National Ski Associations are intensively working on finding a solution to...

Multimedia Podcasts The Devon Kershaw ShowThe Devon Kershaw Show: Catching up with Summer and Zach Caldwell

Devon KershawAugust 25, 2021

With wildfire smoke obscuring mountain views and compromising easy breathing in much of the West, it’s safe to say it is summer. In this episode of the Devon Kershaw Show, we mostly chat with Zach Caldwell of Vermont’s Caldwell Sport. Last season, during one of our conversations with Zach, we discussed some ideas we’d like to see in terms of an enhanced broadcast from FIS for their cross-country World Cup coverage. Zach came up...

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General News RacingGian-Franco Kasper, Former FIS President Dies at 77

FasterSkierJuly 12, 2021

Over the weekend, it was reported that Gian-Franco Kasper, the former president of the International Ski Federation (FIS), died. Kasper stepped down from his role at FIS after serving the organization as president for 23 years. In total, Kasper worked 46 years for the organization. Newly elected FIS president, Johan Eliasch, memorialized Kasper in a press release. “Gian Franco Kasper was unique in the international sports community,” Eliasch said. “He built FIS from a small...

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Feature News World CupAfter 23 Years at the FIS Helm, Gian Franco Kasper Leaves a Mixed Legacy

Pasha KahnJuly 2, 2021

Gian Franco Kasper, President of FIS for the past 23 years stepped down earlier this month. Under his leadership, FIS grew to be the preeminent winter Olympic sport federation. Yet despite its growth, Kasper resisted most efforts to reform and modernize FIS, and he left the organization much as he found it. In 1975, FIS President Marc Holder needed a hand at FIS and brought in the then 29-year-old Kasper—who up to that point had...

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Feature NewsThe IBU Plans to Improve the Fan Experience with New Mobile App

Jason AlbertJune 15, 2021

The International Biathlon Union (IBU) remains committed to improving its online and mobile products according to a recent announcement. The IBU, along with the global app and web developer Vincit, claims the new products, “will allow fans to follow competitions in real-time, as well as provide a second-screen experience with user-friendly statistics and insights into competitions, personalized user experience, and top-notch content with images and video.” More on this in a bit. Live event streaming or...

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News Opinion RacingJohan Eliasch, the Newly Elected President of FIS Promises Change

Jason AlbertJune 11, 2021

Last week after winning 65 of the 119 total votes, Johan Eliasch (59), a dual citizen of Sweden and the United Kingdom, was elected the new President of the International Ski Federation (FIS). Eliasch succeeds Gian-Franco Kasper who has been in the position for 23 years. Nominated for the position by GB Snowsport, Eliasch brings a long history of business acumen as the CEO of Head Sport to FIS. Eliasch is credited with leading HEAD...

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News Racing World CupNew Mixed Race Formats for the Cross-Country World Cup in 2022

Ella HallJune 7, 2021

Following the FIS Cross-Country committee meetings in May, the FIS Council approved the race calendar for the upcoming season. On the list of events is the newly approved Mixed Relay (4x5km) and Mixed Team sprint, both to debut Sunday, March 13th, 2022 in Falun Sweden. The Swedish Ski Federation and the “Svenska Skidspelen” organizers conducted a study on the feasibility of these formats before approval. At last year’s Swedish senior national competition in Falun, they...

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News RacingFIS Poised to Elect a New Leader After 23 Years

Pasha KahnJune 3, 2021

Gian-Franco Kasper, the President of FIS for the past 23 years, will step down after a new candidate is elected at the FIS virtual FIS Congress on Friday, June 4th. The new President will be only the fifth person to hold that role since the inception of FIS in 1924. The elections come at an inflection point within the organization as it looks to navigate the ski sports under its governance into a new, post-pandemic...

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Doping General News RacingEstonia’s Andrus Veerpalu Guilty of Supporting Doping: Banned Two Years by FIS

Jason AlbertApril 15, 2021

On April 14, the International Ski Federation (FIS) announced former Estonian cross-country skier Andrus Veerpalu was found guilty by the CAS Anti-Doping Division. Veerpalu was involved with “Operation Aderlass”, a blood doping scheme run by Dr. Marc Schmidt in Germany. Veerpalu’s penalty is a two-year ban from FIS sanctioned events ending on March 17, 2023. Now retired from skiing, the fifty-year-old Veerpalu in recent years has served as a coach for team “Haanja” in Estonia....

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News Racing Resources WaxingNRK and Expressen Report Fluoro Testing Device Flawed

Jason AlbertMarch 17, 2021

Over the past few years, FasterSkier has reported on per-fluorinated waxes, powders, liquids, and pastes. Entities like the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Europe’s equivalent, the European Environment Agency, are phasing out eight-chain fluorocarbons. We know, after diving into the scientific literature, the evidence suggests these compounds are not good for your health, and they persist in the environment as they do not readily breakdown into inert substances. We also know that skiers love fluoros....

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Feature Racing World CupCase Closed: Klæbo Asks Norwegian Ski Federation to Rescind Appeal After his DQ in the Championship 50 k

Jason AlbertMarch 10, 2021

“Go back and watch the video,” is something I have heard and done maybe 100 times collectively since the men’s 50 k mass start classic concluded with a winner then a DQ, then another winner on Sunday as the 2021 World Championships slammed the door on competition. To say it was a bizarre scene would be an understatement as Norway’s Johannes Høsflot Klæbo and Russia’s Alexander Bolshunov rocketed into and around a sweeping left-hand curve...

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News Racing World CupFIS Statement on Bolshunov’s Actions in Lahti

Jason AlbertFebruary 26, 2021

The International Ski Federation released a statement this morning regarding Alexander Bolshunov’s disqualification in the Lahti, Finland 4 x 7.5 k relay for “unsportsmanlike conduct”. This linked article written earlier this month considers the pathway to sanctions in cases like a physical altercation at a FIS race. Below is the FIS statement in its entirety. *Decision of Ethics and Compliance Commissioner on Alexander Bolshunov* The FIS Council assigned an Independent Ethics and Compliance Commissioner...

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Racing World CupRemaining World Cups in Norway Canceled

FasterSkierFebruary 11, 2021

The International Ski Federation (FIS) announced today that all remaining World Cups in Norway are canceled due to the ongoing pandemic. “Due to new Covid-19 government restrictions announced today by the Norwegian government that the Norwegian Ski Association will be unable to host any further competitions through the end of the current World Cup season, due to the stricter travel and event-related restrictions,” stated the press release. The mandate runs across the snowsport disciplines and...

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Feature NewsConsidering Bolshunov’s Actions in Lahti: A Dive into the FIS Rules

Ella HallFebruary 4, 2021

By Ella Hall and Jason Albert So many moving parts when considering Alexander Bolshunov’s aggression towards Joni Mäki of Finland in the closing moments of the men’s 4 x 7.5-kilometer relay in Lahti on January 24. The finish line was in sight for the two skiers as Mäki came around the sweeping left-hand turn into the final straight ahead of Bolshunov. Mäki, it seemed, sensing Bolshunov making a move and advancing in the outermost...

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News Sponsor NewsWhat A Way To Kick Off The World Cup For Madshus

Inge ScheveDecember 1, 2020

Sturla Holm Lægreid (NOR) crushed his competitors in the IBU biathlon World Cup opener on Saturday and earned his first World Cup victory. On Sunday, turbo junior Helene Fossesholm (NOR) posted the second-fastest time of the day in the 10-kilometer pursuit at the FIS Nordic World Cup opener. “It hasn’t quite sunk in yet. I never imagined I would win,” Lægreid said after his race, which took place in in Kontiolahti (FIN). The 23-year-old dominated the 20-kilometer individual competition,...

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News World CupNews Round-Up: Lillehammer World Cups Postponed (Updated)

FasterSkierNovember 12, 2020

This morning the International Ski Federation (FIS) announced the postponement of the Lillehammer, Norway World Cup events. President of the Norwegian Ski Federation, Erik Røste, told FIS, “Based on the difficult time we are in, the uncertainty and the consequences associated with Covid-19, the Norwegian Ski Association believes that it is not right to arrange the World Cup in Lillehammer now. We would rather work on finding new dates in consultation with FIS and...

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Feature RacingAnother Waxing Wormhole : Sanctioning Races and the Use of Fluoros (Updated)

Jason AlbertNovember 10, 2020

On short notice in October, the International Ski Federation (FIS) reversed its fluoro wax ban for the upcoming season. Bryan Fish, Cross Country Sport Development Manager for U.S. Ski & Snowboard, explained this was termed a “delayed implementation”. What had been expected to be a fluoro-free racing scene at the FIS level, became a business as usual wax policy for 2020-2021. In short, fluoros, C8 or otherwise, are allowed at FIS sanctioned events. The FIS...

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News RacingNews Round Up: Canada Will Host 2023 Nordic Junior/U23 World Championships

FasterSkierOctober 27, 2020

2023 World Juniors/U23 goes to Canada Recently, Canada was awarded the right to host the 2023 Nordic Junior/U23 World Championships. The hosting club is Black Tusk Nordic which runs much of its ski training out of Whistler Olympic Park in the Callaghan Valley. The venue hosted nordic events that included cross-country, jumping, nordic combined, and biathlon at the 2010 Vancouver Olympics. “We are extremely pleased to have the opportunity to bring this prestigious event for...

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Multimedia Podcasts The Devon Kershaw ShowThe Devon Kershaw Show: See the Forest for the Trees – An Eye on FIS

Devon KershawOctober 22, 2020

Like so many organizations, FIS, the governing body for international skiing, is a slow-to-change entity. Doping reforms, for example, have evolved but at a yawn-worthy rate. So in rather atypical fashion, like a finger snap, FIS voted to oust its Secretary General, Sarah Lewis, on October 9th. Lewis had been considered a lifer at FIS. She’d been on staff for two decades. News on the “why” of her removal remains sparse. Yet it was an...

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News World CupFIS Ousts Sarah Lewis

FasterSkierOctober 12, 2020

The International Ski Federation announced last Friday that Secretary General Sarah Lewis has been relieved of her duties effective immediately. “At its meeting today, the FIS Council, including the members of the Marc Hodler Foundation, has decided by a great majority vote to terminate the employment relationship with Sarah Lewis (in accordance with its contractual terms) and that she is released from her work duties as the Secretary General of FIS, effective 9th October 2020.”...

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