FIS President Johan Eliasch just can’t calm down: Once again, the 61-year-old has been publicly caught in the crossfire, this time because of the controversial scheduling of Alpine World Cup races in the USA. Austria’s longtime ski boss Peter Schröcksnadel has now vented his anger about this.
Johan Eliasch has been in office as head of the Fédération Internationale de Ski, or FIS for short, for almost two years now. Since then, the very wealthy Swedish-British businessman has faced a lot of criticism.
Only recently, the already controversial Eliasch received a lot of headwind when it became known that association employees were equipped by the sporting goods company Head this winter, although a cheaper offer is said to have been made. Because the billionaire is not only FIS President, but also the majority shareholder of Head. Not the first conflict of interest of his tenure.
FIS boss Eliasch “has absolutely no idea about this business”
In the last few days, two World Cup races in the USA, more precisely in Palisades Tahoe, without live broadcast on American television, have offered new explosives. Peter Schröcks Nadel, former President of the Austrian Ski Association and Eliasch’s former election helper, is outraged.
“I voted for Eliasch back then because I believed that as a successful entrepreneur he would bring new, profitable ideas to skiing. But unfortunately I have to admit that he has absolutely no idea about this business,” complained the 81st -year-old in conversation with the Swiss tabloid “Blick”.
Schröcks Nadel continues: “At the time, I only agreed to the proposal to go to North America for the second time this season after the World Cup because Eliasch announced that these races would be broadcast live on US television. A live broadcast on NBC would be actually been great advertising for skiing.”
Ultimately, however, TV giant NBC only broadcast a partial recording of the giant slalom – and only 24 hours later.
“Eliasch overestimates himself, but also ski sports completely”
In Schröcks Nadel’s opinion, the entire US offensive of the World Ski Federation is anything but effective.
“Eliasch overestimates himself, but also skiing completely. Interest in alpine racing is very limited. In the USA, football, baseball and basketball are untouchable, not even king football has really established itself there. It’s similar in Asia. As a result We should primarily focus on the market where skiing can move the masses. And that’s Europe,” the former official clarified.
He only supports the overseas races at the end of November and beginning of December. “Mainly because it’s minus 20 degrees in North America at the time. But flying there twice a season is absolute stupidity under the current conditions,” Schröcks Nadel said.