FIS. The FIS Council held its Spring meeting online on Monday 25th May and dealt with a full agenda, including items such as reports from Organising Committees of the FIS World Championships and Olympic Winter Games, the appointment of technical officials, proposals from the FIS Technical Committees, FIS World Cup calendars and rules updates.

The main decisions of the online Council meeting are as follows:

FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2021 Cortina d’Ampezzo (ITA)
The Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI) and its Cortina 2021 Local Organising Committee (LOC) have suffered tremendous impact from the Covid-19 outbreak, which included the cancellation of the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Finals 2020 scheduled for mid-March, the main dress rehearsal for the Championships. The town of Cortina d’Ampezzo and Veneto region of Italy was one of the earliest and hardest hit and the on-going restrictions, alongside the unprecedented financial implications for the local and national business community and the general population. As a consequence they have requested consideration of postponement until 2022.

In the spirit of the FIS family’s unity, synergy and active collaboration with one of its most active member National Ski Associations, Italy, and following consultation and the loyal support of the broadcast and commercial rights holder, Infront Sports & Media, the FIS Council addressed the request to postpone the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Cortina (ITA) from 2021 until 2022.

Due to the multiple implications, the matter has to be carefully analysed by all the stakeholders: the Local Organising Committee, the Italian Winter Sports Federation (FISI), FIS and Infront Sports & Media. Consequently in agreement with FISI, the Council decided that the situation will be reviewed until 1st July 2020.

FIS Ski Flying World Championships, Planica 2020
The Council approved the new date of the FIS Ski Flying World Championships in Planica (SLO) from 11th -     13th December 2020 following the postponement of the originally scheduled event from 19th - 22nd March  2020.

FIS World Championships - Election and Appointment of Future Hosts
The election for the hosts of the FIS World Championships in 2025 by the FIS Council has been scheduled for 3rd October 2020 in Zurich (SUI). If possible, the election will take place in-person, but if the restrictions remain in place then the presentations and election will take place online. A final decision on the modus of the election will take place on 1st August.

Crans Montana (SUI), Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER), Saalbach (AUT) are bidding to host the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships, while Trondheim (NOR) is the sole candidate to host the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships. The application of Krasnoyarsk (RUS) for the FIS Freestyle, Snowboard & Freeski Events is subject to the Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling on the eligibility of Russia to bid for major events.

As a result of the withdrawal of Harrachov by the Czech Ski Association, the applications for the FIS Ski Flying World Championship in 2024 remain open until 1st March 2021.

Additionally, the Council appointed the Czech Ski Association with Stitna nad Vlari as host of the FIS Grass Ski World Championships 2021.

The FIS Junior World Championships were assigned to Krasnoyarsk (RUS) for the Snowboard, Freestyle Ski and Freeski Events in 2021 and St. Anton (AUT) for the Alpine Events in 2023.

FIS World Cup calendars 2020-2021
The FIS World Cup Calendars for the upcoming 2020-2021 submitted by the Technical Committees were all approved and will be published on the FIS website from 25th May.

The Swiss Ski Association has confirmed the re-inclusion of Wengen (SUI) in the men’s FIS Alpine World Cup calendars for 2021/22 and 2022/23.

FIS World Cup Event Covid-19 Task Force
On request of the FIS Discipline Technical Committees, a Task Force specific to each Event will be installed to undertake an on-going monitoring of Covid-19 relating matters that may arise leading up to each FIS World Cup Event and implement necessary actions.

The group per Event will comprise the key stakeholders from the decision-making bodies and experts who can provide advice with one representative each from the National Ski Association organising nation, the respective LOC, broadcast-commercial rights holder, FIS Race Director and Management, Medical Committee representative, Discipline Committee Chair and Council Member from the organising nation.

Overall FIS Covid-19 Support Group
Additionally, to define common elements which may be necessary to adopt in each discipline to support their Event Task Force, an overall FIS Task Force under the leadership of the Council will be established to provide support, with the following members: Nordic Disciplines, Council Members: Erik Roeste (Cross-Country), Roman Kumpost (Ski Jumping/Nordic Combined), Michel Vion (Alpine Skiing), Dean Gosper (Freestyle-Snowboard) with the FIS Management.

Based on the potential Covid-19 related restrictions that may be imposed for sport events, contingency plans are being prepared for the respective calendars as a back-up. The scenarios are being worked through with all stakeholders and draft contingency calendars will provide for options in case of light or stronger restrictions.

The outlook for the upcoming season is presently positive with the first FIS World Cup competitions at the end of October. The increasing restart of sports events is already underway which will give valuable experience for reference during the coming months.

FIS Congress 2020
The FIS Congress 2020 was re-scheduled to Sunday 4th October 2020 in Zurich (SUI).

On 1st August, the FIS Council will assess the situation based on the updated travel and event organisation situation. At this stage should it not be possible to carry out the FIS Congress 2020 on 4th October 2020 as an in-person meeting, but the latest decisions by the authorities regarding travelling and the organisation of gatherings will permit this in November 2020, the Council will consider this option.

Otherwise, the FIS Congress will be postponed until 1st to 6th June 2021 in Portoroz (SLO), which is the date and location already defined for the FIS Committee Meetings and Presidents Conference in spring 2021.

The deadline for submission of applications for the FIS President and FIS Council in accordance with the statutory regulations of 30 days before the Congress will be communicated once the date of the rescheduled FIS Congress 2020 is confirmed on 1st August 2020.

Finances
Due to the postponement of the FIS Congress 2020, the FIS Accounts for the financial period of 1st January 2018 - 31st December 2019, including allocation of the result, will be sent to the National Ski Associations for their formal approval, and not wait until the FIS Congress 2020 in the autumn. This will facilitate payment of the financial support period for the National Ski Associations foreseen from the result of the 2018 - 2019.

Beijing 2022 - Olympic Winter Games
Beijing 2022 submitted its update report in writing. Considerable experience was gained last season with the organisation of 14 FIS World Cup Freestyle Ski, Snowboard and Freeski competitions in halfpipe, aerials and big air in December 2019. Additionally 36 Far East Cup and FIS level Alpine Skiing competitions took place,    with four FIS Cross-Country city sprint races. Despite having to cancel the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, the first official test event that was scheduled for mid-February 2020, the Yanqing venue still successfully held the 14th Chinese national winter games in January.

The preparations for the FIS World Cup and FIS World Championship competitions during the 2020/2021 season that will serve as the official Beijing 2022 test events are well on track. Regular online meetings and training have been taking place during the past months between respective experts from FIS and the Organising Committee.

Fluorinated Ski Wax Prohibition
The Council decided in November 2019 that the use of fluorinated ski wax will be banned for all FIS disciplines from the 2020-21 season which have been shown scientifically to have a negative environmental and health impact. Regulations have been established in USA that are already in place and will be implemented in the EU from July 2020 which impact the manufacturer of these products.

Kompass has developed hand-held detector testing devices that will be certified by the Frauenhof Institute and tested during the summer months. Thereafter they will also be made available for the industry and teams. Subject to successful test of the prototype testing devices, the controls will be implemented from November 2020, with tests carried out in the start and finish areas.

For the season 2020-21 the measurement limit will be defined to give the possibility for the manufacturers, service technicians and teams to adapt to the new situation. The measurement limit will be fixed based on the experience of the testing and validation phase in the summer 2020. From the 2021-22 season, after evaluation from the first season the measurement limit will be lowered to a possible minimum with the objective of a zero limit of fluorinated gliding compounds as from season 2022-23.

Sustainability
The “Care of the Mountain Population” Forum took place on the Island of Mainau (GER) from 20th - 22nd November 2019, dedicated to sustainability and environment activities in relation to mountain resorts. After its successful conclusion, a FIS Working Group was tasked with updating the Mainau Manifesto 2.0, which was approved by the Council and forwarded to the Congress for its approval and implementation.

Change of Licence Registration
A total of 17 athletes across all FIS disciplines have changed their National Association licence registration in accordance with birth, family and/or residence requirements.

Technical Committees
Various updates to the International Competition Rules (ICR) were made. A more detailed summary for each discipline will be published in the next edition of the FIS Newsflash. Key decisions include the following:

Cross-Country Skiing
The maximum number of athletes from the host nation will consist of 10 athletes per gender in addition to two extra spots per gender for U23 athletes to support and facilitate the introduction of younger athletes to the World Cup.

Ski Jumping
Guidelines for the Summer Grand Prix 2020 were approved, most notably with a 30 day cancellation deadline before the Event based on any restrictions in conjunction with the Covid-19 pandemic.

Nordic Combined
The rules for the Nordic Combined Women’s World Cup were approved, 2020/2021 which will be the inaugural season for the Series.

Alpine Skiing
The Parallel event will consist of one format, with no further reference to PSL or PGS and all events will be referred to as “Parallel”, using giant slalom equipment.

The competition will consist of the run-rerun modus for all rounds, with one race on each course. The top 16 athletes from the qualification will move onto the Finals, with racers ranked 17-30 in the qualification race earning World Cup points.

Snowboard, Freestyle Ski and Freeski
The harmonisation of the International Competition Rules for all Snowboard, Freestyle Ski and Freeski events and competitions was completed by the appointed Working Group.

FIS National Associations
The Cape Verdean Olympic Committee as well as the Tanzanian Olympic Committee were provisionally approved as associate members after fulfilling the required criteria.

FIS News
25 May 2020