Terrific Gian-Franco Kasper. At 71 years old, the president of the International Ski Federation (FIS) still knows how to distinguish himself by his blunt remarks, his frankness and his sense of formula. He likes to get his feet wet. And often admit out loud the truths that his peers prefer to reserve for hallway conversations.
Present in Colorado, on the occasion of the alpine skiing world championships, the Swiss made the event again in recent days. First round: his attack on the preparation for the 2018 Winter Games in PyeongChang. At the start of the week, Gian-Franco Kasper clearly expressed to the press his doubts about the possibility of seeing some of the pre-Olympic events being contested on time, during the winter of 2016/2017. “They want to change all the competition venues a little bit, even though everything is almost finished,” he explains. On the new sites, it would be almost impossible to organize test events next year, particularly alpine skiing. »
Not worried for two cents at the prospect of creating a certain buzz in the Olympic universe, Gian-Franco Kasper points the finger at those responsible. He argues that the problem is economic and political, with the authorities of the Korean state and the province where the 2018 Games will take place passing the buck when it comes to paying construction costs.
Unsurprisingly, Gian-Franco Kasper's comments did not leave the South Korean organizers unmoved. Straight in their boots, they responded on Tuesday February 10, via a short press release, that the test events planned for 2016 would take place according to the initial program. And specified that the organizing committee for the 2018 PyeongChang Games (POCOG) was working hand in hand with the South Korean government and the Gangwon province.
The organizers of the 2018 Games also announced that they would send to the FIS, before the end of February, a complete schedule of the pre-Olympic events and a precise and updated status of preparation for the Olympics. Gian-Franco Kasper probably didn’t expect so much…
Second round: FIFA. The president of the FIS did not really go out of his way to give his opinion on the lack of consideration that football in general, and Sepp Blatter in particular, gives to other sports. “I wrote to Sepp Blatter as soon as the rumors of a World Cup in Qatar in 2022 arose in winter,” explained Gian-Franco Kasper to the German agency. DPA. I had no response to my mail. The problem is not so much Sepp Blatter, but the power of football in general. »
The Swiss leader brought it up again during an interview given to the Tribune de Genève: “The Football Federation doesn’t give a damn about others. For FIFA, winter sports do not exist. » Before concluding with an elegant tackle sliding on his compatriot Sepp Blatter: “At his age, I wouldn't represent myself. »
Gian-Franco Kasper also took advantage of his North American media marathon to ensure that the alpine ski team event would be included in the 2018 Games program. “99%, this discipline will be scheduled for the PyeongChang Games,” says -he. We take his word for it.
