No opposition for Eliasch at upcoming FIS presidential election

Johan Eliasch will receive a new term as president of the International Ski Federation (FIS) as no one is willing to challenge the incumbent at an upcoming election in Milan, Italy, on May 26.

The dual Swedish and British citizen won the presidency of the Ski and Snowboard Federation in June 2021, taking the reigns following the death of longstanding leader Gian Franco Kasper, who led the organization since 1998.

Eliasch received 65 of 119 (54 percent) of votes cast on the first ballot during a virtual election at the 52nd FIS Congress, obtaining the required simple majority. The other three candidates received the following votes: Urs Lehmann 26, Sarah Lewis 15, Mats Arjes 13.

However, none of those three, or anyone else, will challenge Eliasch at the May election, to be held during the next FIS General Assembly. As a result, Eliasch will serve a new term running from 2022-26.

Following the deadline for National Ski Associations to submit nominations for the FIS presidency and FIS Council, in addition to Eliasch for re-election as president, the organization also announced it has received 23 nominations for 18 elected seats on the Council. Eliasch and two athlete representatives will round out the Council for a grand total of 21 members.

Current representatives seeking re-election to the FIS Council include: Mats Arjes (SWE), Dean Gosper (AUS), Roman Kumpost (CZE), Urs Lehmann (SUI), Tzeko Minev (BUL), Aki Murasato (JPN), Dexter Paine (USA), Flavio Roda (ITA), Erik Roeste (NOR), Enzo Smrekar (SLO), Martti Uusitalo (FIN), Elena Valbe (RUS), and Zheng Liancheng (CHN).

New candidates for the Council are: Deidre Dionne (CAN), Pedro Farromba (POR), Magdalena Kast (ARG), Fredy Keirouz (LEB), Ihor Mitukov (UKR), Patrick Ortlieb (AUT), Anne-Chantal Pigelet (FRA), Fiona Stevens (NZL), and Patrick Toussant (AND).

Retired U.S freestyle skier Hannah Kearney and Finnish cross-country skier Martti Jylha were appointed by their fellow Athletes Commission members and confirmed at the 2020 FIS Congress, serving until 2023.

Striving to achieve gender balance, new to the FIS Statutes since the last election, are the regulations there must be a minimum of three male or female representatives on the FIS Council. Additionally, a minimum of one representative will come from a nation with two votes and a minimum of one representative will come from a nation with one vote.

While Eliasch will serve at least a four-year term as FIS president, the elected FIS Council members will serve new two-year terms continuing through 2024.

At the FIS General Assembly in Milan, at which National Ski Association representatives will have the option of attending in-person or virtually, each new Council Candidate will have the opportunity for a five-minute presentation outlining their candidacy and potential contributions to the new Council.

On May 26, the election of the FIS President will be the first order of business, followed by the election of the 21 FIS Council members.

The FIS President and FIS Council are chosen by the voting members of the FIS Congress General Assembly, which is comprised of the National Ski Associations.

In a season-ending message conveyed on the FIS website, Eliasch and FIS secretary general Michel Vion noted: “It was a season with many highlights and some major challenges. With victories and defeats, joys and disappointments. We can be proud to say our sport is second to none. Our ski family is big, it is passionate, and it is global.”

“The dedication with which the athletes and their support teams, the Organizers, the National Ski Associations, stakeholders, all volunteers and FIS staff work, day after day, has been phenomenal.

“The Olympic Games, the Four Hills Tournament, the Hahnenkammrennen or the Tour de Ski are highlights of a season that shine bright. But every single World Cup, every training and every inspection inspire us and creates the foundation on which the sport can unfold its great fascination.”

Founded in 1924 during the first Winter Olympic Games in Chamonix, France, the International Ski Federation oversees the Olympic disciplines of Alpine Skiing, Cross-Country Skiing, Ski Jumping, Nordic Combined, Freestyle Skiing and Snowboarding, including setting the international competition rules. Through its 140 member nations, more than 7,000 FIS ski and snowboard competitions are staged annually.

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