Eliasch ousted from FIS presidency by single vote amid IOC interference claims
The incumbent president’s five-year term ends with a 65-64 defeat, triggering a loss of IOC membership and allegations of external political influence.
Johan Eliasch has been removed as president of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) after losing the presidential election by a single vote to Alexander Ospelt of Liechtenstein. The result, confirmed at the FIS Congress in Belgrade, Serbia, on Thursday, marks the end of Eliasch’s five-year tenure and sees Ospelt assume a four-year term. The narrow 65-64 margin underscores the deep divisions within the sport’s governing body, which comprises 75 member federations.
The campaign against Eliasch was driven by the sport’s traditional heartland nations in Europe and North America, with visible backing from prominent athletes including Mikaela Shiffrin. Eliasch, a 64-year-old billionaire owner of the Head sports goods business, faced significant headwinds during his re-election bid. As a dual citizen of Sweden and Britain, he lacked support from either national federation for the presidency. To comply with FIS regulations, he secured a passport and nomination from Georgia to stand for the role.
Prior to the vote, the congress demonstrated a clear shift in sentiment toward the administration. An 88% majority voted to amend the agenda, moving the presidential election to the first item of business. This was followed by a 60% vote to replace electronic voting with paper ballots, a procedural change widely interpreted as a reflection of mistrust in the current FIS leadership. These votes preceded the tight contest that ultimately saw Eliasch defeated by Ospelt, a lawyer from Liechtenstein.
In his concession speech, Eliasch alleged that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) attempted to influence the outcome of the vote. He urged the federation to protect its independence, though the specific nature of the alleged interference was not detailed in the source material. The allegation comes as Eliasch also loses his membership of the IOC, described as one of the most exclusive clubs in world sports.
Eliasch’s presidency was characterised by frequent sparring with major ski nations, including Austria and Switzerland, over management styles and the spending of cash reserves. The outcome of the election signals a significant change in governance for the FIS, with Ospelt now tasked with leading the organisation through the remainder of the term.
