Unwearable Gian Franco Kasper. The Swiss leader will celebrate his 74th birthday next January. But it still feels green enough to multiply functions. He announced to the Council of the International Ski Federation (FIS), meeting at the organization's headquarters in Oberhofen, his decision to apply for a sixth term as president.
Would longevity be a trademark of the FIS? Since its creation in 1924, the institution has had only 4 presidents. Swiss Marc Hodler, Gian Franco Kasper's predecessor, held the position for 47 years. He left it to his successor in 1998, having reached the very respectable age of 80.
Gian Franco Kasper will not be able to match him. But the Swiss could well remain at the head of the FIS until his 78th birthday. His decision to run for a sixth term, during the elections scheduled for May 2018 in Greece, in the coastal town of Navarino, seems likely to stifle the ardor of his possible rivals. The applicants could resolve to wait another four years, leaving Gian Franco Kasper to remain in charge until 2022.
At 74 years old, Gian Franco Kasper shows no desire to slow down. In July 2015, he was extended as a member of the IOC during the organization's session in Kuala Lumpur. He had reached the supposed age limit of 70 years. Since then, he has served on the executive commission, the coordination commissions for the PyeongChang 2018 and Beijing 2022 Games, and chairs the Association of International Winter Olympic Sports Federations.
