With less than a month until the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) holds its presidential election in Belgrade, senior officials from seven of the sport’s most powerful nations have issued an unusually direct intervention. A total of 11 federation leaders have signed a joint open letter dated May 8, 2026, to all National Ski Associations (NSAs), calling for a change in leadership ahead of the June 11 vote.
The letter — addressed to “fellow NSA friends” and signed by the 11 representatives from the United States, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Norway, Spain, and Canada — raises specific and serious concerns about the financial health, governance, and transparency of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation under its current leadership. It is one of the most direct public interventions in FIS politics in the modern era of the sport. “We are fully convinced we need a change for FIS and the NSAs to have credibility and a positive future for our sports and athletes,” the letter states.
The Signatories
Two names stand out immediately among the eleven signatories: Sophie Goldschmidt and Kipp Nelson — the CEO and Chairman of U.S. Ski & Snowboard respectively. That both of America’s most senior ski officials signed the same letter is itself a statement. Timothy Dattels, Chairman of Alpine Canada, represents the other North American voice. The remaining eight signatories come from Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Norway and Spain — forming a coalition that spans the full breadth of Alpine and Nordic skiing power.
Notably absent are France and Italy — two historically influential voices in FIS politics — suggesting the coalition, while powerful, is not yet universal among the sport’s major nations.
“A Very Serious Financial Situation”
The letter opens its substantive case with finances. “FIS is in a very serious financial situation which has deteriorated significantly over the past five years,” it states. “Cash reserves have declined substantially, annual operating costs have increased significantly, and revenues have not developed as anticipated. Despite recent presentations and appeasements.”
That final phrase — “despite recent presentations and appeasements” — is pointed. It suggests the signatories have been given reassurances by FIS leadership that they no longer find credible.
The concern is not merely institutional. Many smaller and mid-sized national ski federations depend directly on FIS redistribution to fund athlete development, coaching structures, and participation in international competition. “This situation affects all of us,” the letter states. “In particular we believe it is essential that FIS remains in a position to continue providing meaningful distributions and support mechanisms to all NSAs — especially small and medium-sized nations — in the years ahead.”
Governance Failures — Including a 24-Hour Budget Drop
The letter’s most specific allegation concerns a recent FIS Council meeting. “The FIS budget was shared with the FIS Council less than 24 hours before their meeting this week,” the signatories write, referring to the Portorož meetings at which many of them were present. “Unfortunately, this is not an isolated incident but part of a broader pattern that has developed over time.”
The authors describe a sustained pattern of incomplete and delayed information sharing that has “limited the ability of elected bodies to properly fulfil their responsibilities on behalf of the membership.” They call for “stronger transparency, proper communication and governance standards in line with the FIS Statutes.”
The Unspoken Target
The letter never names current FIS President Johan Eliasch directly. It does not need to — the target is unmistakable — the “current leadership” referred to throughout is his administration, and the call for new presidential candidates is an explicit rejection of his continued tenure.
Eliasch is a Swedish-born billionaire and owner of HEAD, the ski equipment brand used by many of the world’s top racers. He became FIS President in 2021 in circumstances that generated immediate controversy: he ran as the sole candidate and 56 of FIS’s 126 member associations walked out of the vote rather than legitimize the process. Austria, Switzerland, Germany, and Croatia subsequently challenged the election at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Now seeking re-election, Eliasch has been nominated not by Sweden or Britain — both of which declined to put him forward — but by the Georgian Ski Association, in a move that immediately raised legal questions about whether he has acquired Georgian citizenship as required by FIS statutes. “We have repeatedly made genuine efforts to engage constructively with the current leadership in the interest of all NSAs — large, medium-sized and small alike — in the hope of contributing to positive solutions,” the letter states. “Unfortunately, these efforts have not resulted in an improvement of the situation.”
Four Candidates for Change
The letter endorses four challenger candidates by name: “The positive news is that we have four highly respected new candidates for President: Vicky Gosling, Anna Harboe Falkenberg, Alex Ospelt and Dexter Paine. Each bring valuable qualifications, perspectives and experience to the role and share the same views about what we need to develop for OUR federation and sports.”
The capitalization of “OUR” in the original letter is not accidental. It is a pointed contrast with the current leadership’s perceived distance from the broader FIS community.
Dexter Paine served as Chairman of U.S. Ski & Snowboard for 12 years and has been a FIS Council member since 2014 — one of the most experienced ski administrators in the world, and the American bid for the presidency.
Victoria Gosling is CEO of British Snowsport, nominated by the same federation that declined to re-nominate Eliasch.
Anna Harboe Falkenberg represents Denmark and has been an active voice for governance reform within FIS.
Alexander Ospelt represents Liechtenstein — a small Alpine nation with deep roots in competitive ski racing.
Under FIS rules, challengers who do not win the presidency will move to the Council ballot, meaning the opposition will almost certainly strengthen its presence within the governing body regardless of the presidential outcome.
What Comes Next
The signatories indicate the letter is not their final word. “Based on this ongoing dialogue across the NSA community, we intend to share further thoughts and perspectives in the upcoming weeks,” they write, offering to speak individually with any national federation that wishes to discuss the issues directly.
The June 11 Congress in Belgrade will determine not just who leads FIS but what kind of organization it becomes. The sport is navigating simultaneously rising operational costs, climate pressure on mountain infrastructure, commercial rights disputes, and now the most publicly contested presidential race in modern FIS history. “Each of us are available at any time should you wish to exchange views regarding the current challenges facing FIS in addition to the opportunities ahead,” the letter closes.
The opportunity ahead, for 11 signatories from seven nations, means one thing: a FIS without Eliasch. Eliasch, however, will not step aside quietly. Seeking what would effectively be a third term, he obtained Georgian citizenship after both Sweden and Britain — the two countries of which he is a citizen — declined to nominate him, and secured the backing of the Georgian Ski Association instead. The move has raised serious legal questions under FIS’s own statutes and drawn widespread criticism from within the sport. Whether the Belgrade Congress delivers the change these seven nations are calling for, or hands Eliasch another term through the back door of a Georgian passport, will define the direction of world skiing for years to come.