Rarely has the mood in the skiing family been as bad as it is these days. Because the race calendar for next winter was assessed as unsuitable by the World Cup Committee and returned to the FIS Council, the team captains lack planning security. In addition, the representatives of the leading alpine nations fear that they will be downright expropriated by FIS President Johan Eliasch (60) through the plan for central marketing of the World Cup!
In the Swiss delegation, the fear is palpable that the British-Swedish billionaire might also direct the awarding of the Alpine World Cup in 2027. In addition to the Valais posh town of Crans-Montana, the Bavarian town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, the Norwegian municipality of Narvik and Andorra’s winter sports resort of Soldeu are also vying for these title fights.
Andorra chose Eliasch
Most neutral observers agree that the OC from Soldeu, which organized the World Cup final in 2019, submitted the weakest application. Still, some insiders believe Eliasch will campaign for the Andorrans out of gratitude for their support in the election for FIS President.
The fact is: Andorra voted for Eliasch last summer, unlike Switzerland, Germany and Norway. Will there actually be a presidential return carriage on Wednesday? “Last October, on the occasion of the start of the World Cup in Sölden, I was allowed to have a lengthy conversation with the FIS President,” says Crans-Montana’s Vice President Hugo Steinegger. “Mr. Eliasch was very friendly to me at the time and also assured me that he would behave neutrally when the World Cup was awarded. Now I hope that he will keep his word.”
decision on Wednesday
But Steinegger knows too well that you can’t rely on anyone before such elections. “If everyone had kept their word in the election for the FIS President a year ago, Urs Lehmann would have gotten the most votes,” says the native of Bern. The decision as to whether Crans-Montana will be allowed to host a World Cup for the second time following 1987 in five years will be made on Wednesday evening. The re-election of the President is on the agenda for Thursday.
Criminal charges once morest Elijah
Spicy: Eliasch is threatened with trouble in the courtroom following the FIS Congress. Christian Pirzer, head of FIS-Marketing AG, confirms the German newspaper Bild: “I have filed a criminal complaint once morest Johan Eliasch for defamation.” Eliasch is said to have accused Pirzer of fraud, which the German refuses to accept. It will be seen on Thursday whether this criminal complaint will even cost Eliasch the highest office at the International Ski Association. Then the election of the President is on the agenda in Milan. Because there is currently no opponent, there is a good chance that the former lover Sharon Stone (64) will be elected by the Hollywood star for four more years.
