Urs Lehmann was the Swiss ski boss for many years. © APA/EXPA/JOHANN GRODER / EXPA/JOHANN GRODER

Trouble at the FIS: Urs Lehmann resigns

Urs Lehmann resigned as CEO of the International Ski Federation a few days before the FIS Congress with the election of the President.

June 05, 2026

From: apa

The Swiss official submitted his resignation, according to the Swiss news agency SDA. Swiss media reports indicate that his departure is the result of renewed, unspecified disagreements with FIS President Johan Eliasch. The 64-year-old Eliasch is running for re-election on June 11 in Belgrade. He is being challenged by Briton Victoria Gosling and Liechtenstein's Alexander Ospelt.

Eliasch is facing criticism from athletes and national federations. "As a businessman, Johan Eliasch has always been accustomed to setting the direction in his companies. But that doesn't work in a federation. There, it's important not to present members with a fait accompli, but to get them on board and create a sense of new beginnings. And he hasn't succeeded in doing that," explained outgoing Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV) General Secretary Christian Scherer on Friday. Courier.

FIS President Johan Eliasch and Urs Lehmann reportedly did not get along. © APA/BARBARA GINDL / BARBARA GINDL

Eliasch has headed the FIS since 2021. Back then, he was nominated by the British. This time, they are backing their CEO, Gosling. According to Scherer, the Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV), on the other hand, supports Ospelt, whom he described as an honest man and a "bridge builder." The previous FIS CEO, Lehmann, only took up the newly created position last September. As the newspaper View Reports indicate that differing assessments of the FIS's financial situation led to the renewed rift. Lehmann is said to have expressed concerns.