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May 27, 2016 – Two weeks before the upcoming 50th edition of the FIS Congress in Cancun, Mexico, FIS Newsflash took the opportunity to sit down with FIS President Gian Franco Kasper and get his thoughts on the Congress and beyond.
It has been two years since the last FIS Congress in Barcelona (SPA). Looking back since then, what were some highlights?
Gian Franco Kasper: Our FIS World Championships in 2015 exceeded all expectations and were acclaimed far and wide for their coverage and the promotion of the FIS disciplines. The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Vail/Beaver Creek (USA) made a major breakthrough in the US media. Sweden’s Falun successfully hosted the FIS Nordic World Ski Championships and was enjoyed by more than 280,000 spectators on site. Kreischberg (AUT) made history as the first ever Organiser of joint FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships with a packed programme of 24 competitions. The FIS Ski Flying World Championships took place in January 2016 on the natural hill in Kulm/Bad Mitterndorf (AUT) in perfect conditions. Olympic activity this year took place in the iconic location of Lillehammer (NOR) for the 2nd edition of the Winter Youth Olympic Games which was also a success.
The IOC plays a big role in the daily activities of FIS. What are the key changes in the last two years within the IOC and what can we look ahead to?
GFK: Over the past two years the IOC has undertaken an important process to evolve and adapt the organisation through the Olympic Agenda 2020. Reforms are focused on three main pillars: credibility, sustainability and youth and their implementation in the IOC and wider Olympic Movement structures is well underway. My position as an IOC Member has also been extended as a result of the active role I have as President of the Association of Olympic Winter Sport Federations (AIOWF) and membership in various IOC Commissions.
The programme of the Olympic Winter Games will be enriched in 2018 with the inclusion of a favourite on the FIS programme, the Alpine team event, as well as Snowboard big air.
What will be some of the hot topics and themes in Cancun?
GFK: The distribution of funds among the National Ski Associations is an important theme. The strong support of the National Ski Associations is critical to the success of FIS and it is important to find a fair distribution system which will be presented.
From a sport standpoint, the field of injury prevention and the FIS Injury Surveillance System plays an important role in providing research and analytical information enabling the FIS technical experts to review various aspects including rules, equipment and course preparation. Athlete safety is a top priority for FIS.
On the marketing side, the Alpine and Nordic disciplines enjoy long-term commitments from loyal sponsors such as Audi, Longines and Viessmann. But it is time to get major sponsors for all of our World Cup series and disciplines. This will be a high priority for FIS in the lead-up to the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Korea.
It is also becoming increasingly important to stay on the cutting edge of broadcast technology and attract a wider audience through both traditional broadcast media and emerging digital technology, as well as communicate proactively through social media.
Looking beyond Cancun, what will be the priorities?
GFK: Looking to the future and the upcoming two-year period for FIS, we can anticipate FIS World Championships in flagship locations in 2017 and 2018 as well as innovative Olympic Winter Games in PyeongChang for the first time in Korea. But it will be two years during which FIS will face challenges, particularly with the finances as a result of the changes to the recent currency exchange rates that affect the FIS budget, the continued turbulence in the world economy and building up the trust of the public again in sport in general and its organisation.
Sport is always evolving and we are preparing to lead and manage the developments. I look forward to the changes and the excitement that the next two years, and beyond will bring to our sport.
June 2nd, 2016 at 2:19 pm
Casper—-how can you answer those two last questions and be credible in not seeing the drug issue to be on the agenda for both the FIS and IOC with it’s huge headlines all the way back to Sochiand what we can see for the future.
It is this kind of thinking since the 1970s that has put us in the position that the dopers are winning this battle. Associations like FIS and all the way to the top have not been strong enough in their penalty application system—-you all have tried to rely on compliance. And now I think there is no chance—especially with people such as yourself in your positions—who will now go down in sport history as failures.
You keep looking the other way—I think Sara Lewis was quoted just a few weeks ago that FIS would have to handle the drug situation as it stands now very delicately. Isn’t that what you have been doing this past HALF CENTURY —–well, Mr Casper you’re going to go down in history with a lot of other famous people like Hodler, Rogge, Samaranch-who all held high sport positions and essentially lost responsibility in the biggest fight—DOPING.
We have now come to the point were theirs talk of cancelling the Rio Olympics—-yes, the biggest sporting event in the world, is in that fragile a position. BON CHANCE!
DOWN WITH DRUGS!!!