The day could have been peaceful. Quiet and uneventful. With only one candidate for the presidential seat – the outgoing Johan Eliasch – the 53rd congress of the International Ski Federation (FIS) looked calm. However, it turned into a war of words, Thursday May 26, at the Allianz Tower in Milan (Italy).
Certainly, Johan Eliasch was re-elected for a new mandate. The Swedish-British leader, former CEO of the Head group, beat competition from three rivals last June, to complete the last year of presidency of the Swiss Gian-Franco Kasper, who died at the beginning of July. In Milan, Thursday May 26, he was alone in the running. But his re-election for a four-year lease turned out to be significantly more agitated than the previous election.
Unopposed for the top post, Johan Eliasch obtained 70 votes out of the 126 possible. The majority, then. But the president of the FIS had totaled 65 less than a year earlier during his first election, despite competition from three other candidates, the Swiss Urs Lehmann, the British Sarah Lewis and the Swede Mats Årjes. In Milan, he missed around 40% of the votes, a result which raises questions in an election decided in advance.
After less than a year as president, Johan Eliasch is therefore not unanimous. The Swede based in Great Britain is criticized by part of the ski family for his lack of communication and transparency, particularly in his strategy for reforming alpine skiing.
In Milan, Thursday May 26, the opposition made itself heard. A group of around fifteen nations, including Switzerland, Austria, Croatia and several Scandinavian nations, attempted a coup by contesting the voting method. Opponents demanded a secret vote, with the possibility of choosing between yes, no and abstention, not just between the name of the single candidate or abstention. But their request was rejected, on the grounds that the statutes of the body did not provide for such a scenario.
In response, several delegates left the room before the vote. At the head of the procession, the two spokespersons for the protest group, the Austrian Christian Scherer and the Croatian Vedran Pavlek. The Swiss delegate Bernhard Aregger also did not take part in the presidential election.
Asked later in a virtual press conference about the result of the vote, Johan Eliasch got away with a pirouette: “ I got 100% of the valid votes. All I can say is that my majority is between 60 and 100%"
The blow came close for the billionaire with dual nationality. But the crisis is perhaps not over. According to the general director of Swiss Ski, Diego Züger, a procedure has already been launched to contest the validity of the re-election of John Eliasch.
In Milan, the very turbulent episode of the presidential election dominated the FIS Annual Congress. But the international body also had an important day.
Two personalities from the international body were removed from the Council. The first was expected. Former cross-country skier Elena Vyalbe, triple Olympic relay champion in the 90s, now president of the Russian Cross-Country Ski Federation, lost her place. With only 48 votes, she finished last in the voting for the FIS Council. His candidacy had been contested even before the Congress by several countries, including Finland and Sweden. He was accused of supporting the invasion of Ukraine by the Russian army.
The defeat of the American Dexter Paine was less expected. Former vice-president of the FIS, he will no longer sit on the Council, having obtained only 74 votes, the third worst result. Dexter Paine was one of Johan Eliasch's strongest allies.
Finally, the Milan Congress ratified the change in name of the body. The FIS becomes the International Ski and Snowboard Federation. But it retains its acronym and logo.
