The International Ski and Snowboard Federation’s (FIS) presidential election, set for Thursday, June 11, in Belgrade, has escalated sharply after Austrian ski legend Alexandra Meissnitzer was disinvited from the congress following public criticism of the organization’s leadership.
The decision to exclude the former Olympic medalist, two-time World Champion, and current member of the FIS President’s Office marks the latest controversy surrounding incumbent president Johan Eliasch. It follows the resignation of the FIS CEO, athlete-led criticism from some of the sport’s biggest stars, and mounting pressure from national ski federations ahead of the vote.
The FIS presidential election is starting to look more dramatic than ski racing — or a Brazilian telenovela.
Meissnitzer Disinvited After Public Criticism of FIS Leadership
The most significant development of the week is the disinvitation of Alexandra Meissnitzer from the upcoming FIS congress in Belgrade. The retired Austrian ski racer, two-time World Champion, and Olympic medalist was appointed in September 2025 by FIS president Johan Eliasch to work in his “President’s Office” on special projects.
In an interview published on Monday, June 8, by Austrian newspaper Salzburger Nachrichten, Meissnitzer publicly questioned the direction of the federation under Eliasch’s leadership. “For quite some time now, we have only been experiencing differences and public confrontations — that is difficult for me to comprehend,” she said. “If confrontation is all that remains and dialogue is lost, then it does not look good. Then we are truly facing a split.”
Hours after the interview was published Meissnitzer was informed that she was no longer welcome at the congress in Belgrade. She later confirmed she had been formally disinvited, and said she is currently seeking legal advice through the Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV).
The speed of the response and the fact that it involved a sitting member of Eliasch’s own appointed team makes the move so controversial.
A CEO Resignation Days Before the Vote
The Meissnitzer development follows the resignation of FIS CEO Urs Lehmann earlier last week, adding further instability to the federation’s leadership structure just days before the election. Like Meissnitzer, Lehmann had only been appointed to a senior FIS leadership role less than a year ago. His resignation just 10 months after his appointment certainly raised more than just a few eye brows in the ski community.
Swiss media reports have suggested that tensions between Lehmann and Eliasch over the federation’s financial direction ultimately led to the split. While Eliasch has maintained that FIS finances remain stable, Lehmann is reported to have raised concerns about long-term financial risk within the organization.
Lehmann’s resignation came after mounting pressure from athletes as well as national ski associations in the weeks leading up to the election.
Athlete Pressure and Financial Disputes
An open letter coordinated by FIS athlete representative AJ Ginnis — and signed by skiing greats such as Marco Odermatt, Mikaela Shiffrin, and Loïc Meillard — cited concerns over financial management and transparency within the federation. The letter referenced a significant decline in FIS financial reserves over recent years, from roughly CHF 130–140 million to around CHF 40 million, according to figures cited by athletes and national federations.
Speaking separately to Swiss newspaper Blick, several top athletes expressed frustration over the direction of the organization. Swiss ski racer Marco Odermatt said: “Nothing has really progressed. There is practically no other solution left than a change at the head of the federation.”
His teammate Loïc Meillard added that the current leadership “has not kept its promises,” while Team USA’s Mikaela Shiffrin raised concerns over transparency and communication.
The Nations Letter
Pressure has also came from eight national federations, who issued a joint letter dated May 8, 2026, signed by 11 federation leaders from countries including the United States, Austria, Switzerland, Germany, Norway, Spain, and Canada, was sent to all 80 voting member federations ahead of the congress. The letter called for leadership change and raised concerns about governance, financial disclosure, and decision-making transparency. While Eliasch was not named directly, the message was widely understood within the federation.
Why Eliasch is Still in With a Chance
On June 11, 80 national ski federations will vote to determine the next FIS president. Each federation has a vote, with some larger nations holding slightly more influence. A simple majority — more than 50% — is required to win outright. If no candidate reaches that threshold in the first round, the lowest-ranked candidate is eliminated and further rounds are held.
The structure creates a political imbalance between traditional ski powers and smaller federations. While nations such as Austria, Switzerland, France, Norway, and the United States dominate competitive skiing, their combined voting power is diluted across the broader membership.
This dynamic has historically benefited Eliasch, who has built strong relationships with smaller federations. In the 2021 election, approximately 56 member associations walked out in protest before the vote concluded, leaving Eliasch to be elected unopposed by the remaining delegates. The result was later challenged at the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
Eliasch faces four challengers: Dexter Paine (United States), Victoria Gosling (Great Britain), Anna Harboe Falkenberg (Denmark), and Alexander Ospelt (Liechtenstein). With opposition split across multiple candidates, the structure of the vote leaves open the possibility of a divided anti-incumbent bloc.
What Happens If Eliasch Wins
If Eliasch is re-elected on June 11, several of skiing’s most influential national federations could explore alternative competition structures outside FIS. That could include independent organisation of flagship World Cup events such as Wengen, Kitzbühel, Adelboden, Val d’Isère, and Bormio — the commercial and cultural backbone of alpine skiing.
Whether that scenario becomes leverage or reality will depend on the outcome of the vote in Belgrade.
What is unfolding inside FIS is no longer simply an election contest but a direct confrontation over governance, transparency, and control of the sport’s most powerful federation. The tension between the leading ski nations and the smaller federations will come to a climax in three days in Belgrade.