German legend attacks ski boss: “He doesn’t check anything”

German alpine icon Markus Wasmeier accuses the World Ski Federation FIS of inaction in the fight against climate change. He distributes things properly.

September 06, 2023

From: dpa/fop

“I don’t think the FIS wastes any thought on ecological things,” said the double Olympic champion German press agency. Wasmeier particularly criticized President Johan Eliasch, who has been at the head of the association since summer 2021. “He doesn’t check anything. “It’s just pure chaos,” said Wasmeier.

The Upper Bavarian, who is married to a South Tyrolean and is celebrating his 60th birthday this Saturday, particularly criticized the design of the World Cup calendar. For the ski expert, a season start in October and two trips to the USA for men have “absolutely nothing” to do with sustainability. “What's the point of going back and forth? Eliasch is driving the whole thing into the wall,” said Wasmeier and advocated pushing the races back “a few weeks.”

“Eliash drives the whole thing into the wall” Markus Wasmeier

Wasmeier is not the first to accuse the FIS of greenwashing. In the spring, around 150 winter sports enthusiasts wrote an open letter criticizing what they believed to be the world association's inadequate climate plans. He consistently rejects criticism of his sustainability efforts. “Since 2021, when President Eliasch was elected to head the FIS, sustainability has been at the heart of the association. It is a priority in everything the FIS does,” it said recently.