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Johan Eliasch is running for reelection as FIS President on Thursday as a Georgian candidate because he was not nominated by his home countries, Sweden and the United Kingdom
Keystone
A turning point for the FIS: The presidential election is on the agenda at the world governing body’s congress. Major nations such as Switzerland, Austria, and Norway are clearly opposing incumbent Johan Eliasch.
In the run-up to the 57th FIS Congress, which takes place on Wednesday and Thursday in Belgrade, there is a major rift within the ranks of the most important Olympic winter sports federation. For many decades—under Swiss presidents Marc Hodler (1951 to 1998) and Gian Franco Kasper (1998 to 2021)—things there had proceeded rather leisurely and, above all, very orderly.
Then, five years ago, newcomer Johan Eliasch surprisingly won a contested election against three rivals from within the FIS system by a clear margin in the very first round of voting. Among those defeated at the time was Urs Lehmann, the long-time president of Swiss-Ski.
Eliasch’s goal in 2021 was to digitize the FIS and lead it into the modern era. Or rather, to catapult it there, as Eliasch—a shrewd businessman who became a billionaire—is accustomed to short (decision-making) chains from the private sector.
Association processes, which at the FIS are often particularly protracted and cumbersome, are not Eliasch’s cup of tea. The Swedish-British dual citizen prefers to lead according to his own vision and without compromise; often without consulting the 22 other FIS board members or other stakeholders.
This soon triggered fierce storms within the FIS universe and, in some cases, (costly) legal disputes. Eliasch relied primarily on loyal allies from smaller FIS federations. These federations hoped that, with the help of this outsider, they would play a greater role in winter sports. In contrast, the traditional nations from the Alpine region and Scandinavia felt increasingly sidelined.
Even an agreement on the centralized marketing of international media rights at the end of 2024 only temporarily calmed the waters. In recent weeks and months, dissatisfaction has reached new heights. Critics are not only taking issue with the president’s style and (lack of) strategy. According to Eliasch’s opponents, it is becoming increasingly clear that the FIS has been heading toward serious financial difficulties. Diego Züger, co-CEO of Swiss-Ski, describes the FIS’s situation as “alarming.”
The federation’s assets are said to have decreased by more than 80 million Swiss francs during Eliasch’s tenure as president. Eliasch, for his part, describes this as a necessary investment in the future. He expects that the sport’s revenue and global reach will now increase. Amid this turmoil, Urs Lehmann also resigned last Friday. The native of Aargau served as FIS CEO for only nine months.
In order to be eligible for re-election on Thursday, Eliasch had to quickly obtain an additional nationality. Both the Swedish and British federations refused to support him. Georgia, however, granted Eliasch the necessary passport immediately and without bureaucratic hurdles.
The controversial incumbent is being challenged by Alexander Ospelt. The Liechtenstein native has been a member of the FIS Executive Board since 2024. The lawyer is supported by Switzerland, Austria, and numerous other large and medium-sized federations. British candidate Victoria Gosling also sought to become FIS President. However, the executive director of her national snow sports federation withdrew her candidacy on Tuesday.
Ospelt describes himself as a person of integrity. He wants to build bridges, says the 58-year-old, whose campaign dossier is aptly titled “Building Bridges.” “At FIS, everyone should discuss matters together on an equal footing. This leads to good and sustainable solutions,” says Ospelt, who also wants to give athletes a stronger voice and involve them more effectively.
10.06.2026, 05:00
11.06.2026, 09:47
