FIS Athletes’ Commission

YOUR CHANCE TO CONTRIBUTE AND MAKE SURE THE

ATHLETES’ VOICE IS HEARD
New elections for FIS Athletes’ Commission in 2009

In spring 1996, the 40 th International Ski Congress decided to introduce

a FIS Athletes’ Commission whose members are elected by the athletes
themselves. The first elections for the Athletes’ Commission took place
during the 1997 FIS World Championships and new elections for the
FIS Athletes’ Commission will take place during the different FIS World
Championships in 2009.

Composition of the Commission

Alpine 4 Members – 2 Ladies and 2 Men

Cross-Country 2 Members – 1 Lady and 1 Man
Ski Jumping 1 Member
Nordic Combined 1 Member
Freestyle 2 Members – 1 Lady and 1 Man
Snowboard 2 Members – 1 Lady and 1 Man

Each athlete in the Athletes’ Commission shall have one vote.

Purpose
The purpose of the Athletes’ Commission is to discuss and address is-
sues concerning athletes in general. In principle the Athletes’ Commission
meets once per year in conjunction with the technical meetings or a ma-
jor event. Travel and accommodation expenses for a meeting during the
FIS Technical Committee Meetings will be paid for by FIS.

Eligibility of Members
The members shall be elected for 4 years, i.e. for the period between
two FIS World Championships and they shall be re-eligible at will as long
as they are competing in their respective discipline. Any athlete who has
committed a doping offence is not eligible for election to the Athletes’
Commission. If a serving member commits a doping offence during their
period of membership, he/she will be removed from the Commission.

Election procedure

Candidatures
The athletes nominate candidate(s) to stand for election to the Athletes’
Commission. One candidate per nation per discipline may stand for elec-
tion. Nominations for candidacy (free form) can be sent to the FIS Office
at athletescommission@fisski.com according to the schedule below.
A list of candidates will be published on the FIS Website shortly after the
nomination of candidates per discipline.
Promotional activities
Candidates for the FIS Athletes’ Commission may distribute a one A4
sized printed information about themselves during the Championships.
No press releases or conferences, promotional events or invitations
may be organised by or in favour of candidates.

Schedule
Only athletes who are present and participating at the respective FIS
World Championships are eligible to vote. An athlete may only vote
once. The elections will be organised by the FIS co-ordinators of the
different disciplines and members of the FIS staff during the World
Championships at the following sites:

Discipline Place Open for Deadline for Dates of

nominations nominations election
Snowboard FIS Snowboard World 21.12.2008 18.01.2009 21.–24.01.
Championships 2009 2009
at Sungwoo Resort,
Gangwon, KOR
Alpine Skiing FIS Alpine World Ski 09.01.2009 06.02.2009 09.–14.02.
Championships 2009 2009
at Val d‘Isère, FRA
Cross-Country, FIS Nordic World Ski 24.01.2009 21.02.2009 24.02.–28.02.
Ski Jumping, Championships 2009 2009
Nordic Combined at Liberec, CZE
Freestyle Skiing FIS Freestyle World Ski 05.02.2008 03.03.3009 05.–07.03.
Championships 2009 2009
at Inawashiro, JPN
„
FIS Athletes’ Commission is a
commission made for the ath-
letes and run by the athletes. FIS
can be strengthened by athletes
that engage in the organization

„
and the FIS Athletes’ Commission is that forum for you. Together you can
make changes for the wellbeing of future winter athlete generations and
yourself! The elections is coming up this year at all the different FIS World
Championships. Stand as a candidate and/or make sure to vote for the
best one to represent you within the White Circuit!

Pernilla Wiberg, IOC Athletes’ Commission member since 2002

Contact person per discipline:

U FIS Nordic World Ski Championships – Sandra Spitz (Cross-Country),

Horst Nilgen (Ski Jumping), Egon Theiner (Nordic Combined)

U FIS Alpine World Ski Championships – Riikka Rakic, Mike Kertesz and
Andy Krönner

U FIS Freestyle World Championships – Kathrin Hostettler

U FIS Snowboard World Championships – Oliver Kraus

U General information: athletescommission@fisski.com

Photos © Nordic Focus, Agence Zoom

CH-3653 Oberhofen(Switzerland)
Phone +41 33 244 6161, Fax +41 33 244 6171
athletescommission@fisski.com, www.fisski.ch
Letter to the NSA

Dear Mr. President,

Dear Ski friends,

In spring 1996, the 40th International Ski Congress decided to introduce a FIS
Athletes Commission whose members are elected by the athletes themselves. The
first elections for the Athletes Commission took place during the 1997 FIS World
Championships and new elections for the FIS Athletes Commission will take place
during the different FIS World Championships in 2009.

Experiences have shown that there has been a lack of interest from athletes in most
disciplines to participate in the elections or to attend an annual meeting of the
Athletes Commission. Consequently, FIS has revised the procedures for the election
procedure and will encourage the National Ski Associations to support the active
development of the commission.

The following information gives details about the Athletes Commission and the
election procedure:

Composition of the Commission

Alpine 4 Members - 2 Ladies and 2 Men

Cross-Country 2 Members - 1 Lady and 1 Man
Ski-Jumping 1 Member
Nordic Combined 1 Member
Freestyle 2 Members - 1 Lady and 1 Man
Snowboard 2 Members - 1 Lady and 1 Man

No nation can have more than one member on the Commission. Following the
results of all the discipline elections, confirmation of the member(s) per discipline will
be carried out by the FIS Council. No results will be published before the conclusion
of all discipline elections

Purpose

The purpose of the Athletes Commission is to discuss and address issues

concerning Athletes in general. In principle the Athletes Commission meets once per
year in conjunction with the technical meetings or a major event.

The role of the Athlete is an essential element of the International Ski Federation,
and the National Ski Associations are requested to encourage their athletes to
participate in the election by voting and/or standing as a candidate.

Eligibility of Members

The members shall be elected for 4 years, i.e. for the period between two FIS World
Championships and they shall be re-eligible at will as long as they are competing in
their respective discipline.
Any athlete who has committed a doping offence is not eligible for election to the
Athletes Commission. If a serving member commits a doping offence during their
period of membership, he/she will be removed from the commission.

Chairmanship

The members of the Athletes Commission shall elect the Chairman/lady from the
elected members.

Voting right

Each Athlete in the Athletes Commission shall have one vote.

Meetings

In principle there will be one meeting per year that will be held in conjunction with the
FIS technical committee meetings (approx. May/end September) or at a major event
such as the FIS Grand Finals.

Travel and accommodation expenses for a meeting during the FIS technical
committee meetings will be paid for by FIS.

Election procedure

Nomination of candidates

The athletes nominate candidate(s) to stand for election to the Athletes Commission.
One candidate per nation per discipline may stand for election. Nominations may be
submitted in writing by the National Ski Associations from one month before the date
of the election until the 3rd day of the championships and sent to
athletescommission@fisski.ch (please see table below for details).

A list of candidates will be published on the FIS Website shortly after the nomination
of candidates per discipline.

Promotion of Candidates

Candidates for the FIS Athletes Commission may distribute a one A4 sized printed
information about themselves during the championships. No press releases or
conferences, promotional events or invitations may be organised by or in favour of
candidates.

Election and voting

Only athletes who are present and participating at the respective FIS World
Championships are eligible to vote. An athlete may only vote once.
The elections will be organised by the FIS co-ordinators of the different disciplines
and members of the FIS staff during the World Ski Championships at the following
sites:

Discipline Place Open for Deadline for Dates of election

nominations nominations
FIS Nordic World Ski Liberec, 24.01.2008 21.02.2009 24.02 to 28.02.2009
Championships CZE
FIS Alpine World Ski Val 09.01.2009 06.02.2009 09.-14.02.2009
Championships d'Isère,
FRA
FIS Freestyle World Ski Inawashiro 05.02.2009 03.03.3009 05.-07.03.2009
Championships , JPN
FIS Snowboard World Sungwoo 21.12.2009 18.01.2009 21.-24.01.2009
Championships Resort-
Gangwon,
KOR

Precise information about the place for voting at the different World Championships
sites will be communicated by FIS at the Championships and in the race office.

Contact persons per discipline:

FIS Nordic World Ski Championships - Sandra Spitz (Cross-Country), Horst Nilgen
(Ski Jumping), Egon Theiner (Nordic Combined)
FIS Alpine World Ski Championships - Riikka Rakic; Mike Kertesz and Andy
Krönner
FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships - Kathrin Hostettler
FIS Snowboard World Championships - Oliver Kraus