Key facts
- Johan Eliasch was ousted as World Ski Federation (FIS) president in a 65-64 vote.
- Alexander Ospelt of Liechtenstein was elected to a four-year term.
- Eliasch alleged that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) influenced the election.
- Eliasch lost his IOC membership as a result of the election loss.
- The election agenda was moved forward by an 88% vote.
- Paper ballots were used instead of electronic voting.
World Ski Federation (FIS) president Johan Eliasch was narrowly defeated in a presidential election, losing by a single vote to Alexander Ospelt, a lawyer from Liechtenstein. The vote, which concluded Eliasch's five-year tenure, saw him ousted 65-64. Following his defeat, Eliasch alleged that the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had attempted to influence the election's outcome and urged FIS to maintain its independence. As a consequence of losing the presidency, Eliasch also forfeited his membership in the IOC. The election process itself saw procedural shifts, with an 88% vote to bring the presidential election forward on the agenda and a 60% vote to use paper ballots instead of electronic voting, suggesting underlying mistrust in the FIS administration. Eliasch, a dual citizen of Sweden and Britain and owner of the Head sports equipment business, faced opposition from European and North American ski nations, with top skiers like Mikaela Shiffrin reportedly backing the campaign against him. His leadership was marked by disputes over his management style and the use of FIS's cash reserves.