What is the FIS?
The FIS — the International Ski and Snowboard Federation — is the world governing body of skiing and snowboarding: founded at Chamonix in 1924 during the first Winter Olympics, headquartered in Oberhofen, Switzerland, and uniting 140 national associations.[1]
What does the FIS govern?
All ski and snowboard disciplines — alpine, cross-country, ski jumping, nordic combined, freestyle and snowboard — their rules, World Cup calendars, biennial world championships and Olympic events, plus the licence and FIS Points systems that rank every competitor from junior racing upward.[1] [2]
Who leads it?
President Alexander Ospelt of Liechtenstein, elected at the June 2026 Congress by a single vote — 65–64 — over incumbent Johan Eliasch, whose centralizing five-year tenure had divided the federation. The change sets the FIS's direction into the 2030 French Alps Games.[3] [4]
Why does the FIS matter?
Every licence, FIS Point, World Cup start and championship medal in snow sports runs through the federation and its members — the complete, public paper trail of a ski or snowboard career.[1] [2]
References
- FIS — official site. Accessed August 2026.
- FIS — results & FIS Points database. Accessed August 2026.
- Yahoo/AFP — Eliasch ousted as FIS president by one vote. Accessed August 2026.
- Ski Racing — Eliasch reflects on IOC bid and winter sports' future. Accessed August 2026.