FIS elects Alexander Ospelt as new president, ousting Johan Eliasch by a single vote in Belgrade

The vote

Delegates at the 57th FIS Congress in Belgrade, Serbia, chose a new president on Friday. Alexander Ospelt, a 58-year-old lawyer from Liechtenstein, received 65 of the 129 possible votes. The incumbent, Swedish-British businessman Johan Eliasch, received 64. A single vote decided the outcome.

The FIS, as I envision it, is open and transparent, promotes exchange and ensures a balance between the interests of the many stakeholders in our wonderful sports.

Eliasch's contested candidacy

Eliasch had sought re-election but faced an unusual path to the ballot. After neither the British nor the Swedish ski federation nominated him, he obtained a Georgian passport this spring and ran under the Georgian federation's banner. His five-year tenure drew sharp criticism from a broad alliance of major ski nations, including Switzerland, Austria, the United States, Germany, and Norway. They accused him of intransparency, poor communication, and broken promises. The central grievance was financial: reports indicate Eliasch may have spent up to 100 million Swiss francs of FIS reserves during his presidency.

The paper ballot

Swiss-Ski successfully moved to replace the planned electronic voting system with a paper ballot. Co-CEO Diego Züger cited problems with the electronic system at the previous congress, arguing the election was too important to test new technology. The motion passed 77 to 50 with two abstentions. The Serbian federation also succeeded in moving the election earlier in the congress programme. FIS Secretary General Michel Vion instructed delegates that no communication, including mobile phones, was permitted during the roughly 50-minute voting process. The count took about 40 minutes.

The new president

Ospelt was the preferred candidate of the alliance that opposed Eliasch. A long-time president of the Liechtenstein ski federation and a member of the FIS Council for two years, he described himself as a bridge-builder. His term runs for four years. The leadership change follows the recent departure of FIS CEO Urs Lehmann, who stepped down amid concerns over the federation's financial situation under Eliasch.

The opposition coalition

Swiss-Ski, Ski Austria, the US federation, and others lined up against Eliasch in the weeks before the vote. The coalition also included Italy, Germany, France, Sweden, Norway, Great Britain, Slovenia, and Canada. Their unified stance proved decisive in the one-vote margin.