Marcel Hirscher will not receive a wildcard for the entire Ski World Cup season. © APA / EXPA/JFK

More fuss about Hirscher: Apparently there is no wildcard

The comeback confusion surrounding Marcel Hirscher continues. After there were initial rumors that the Salzburg native would withdraw, the International Ski Federation FIS is now also said to be backing down. The planned wildcard for Hirscher is not expected to happen. But there is a back door.

September 27, 2024

From: sn

The Swiss tabloid View is usually very well informed about the skiing world. The latest report from the Swiss is causing a stir - and could ruin Marcel Hirscher's eagerly awaited comeback. Apparently the FIS does not want to give the new Dutchman a wildcard. With this, Hirscher would have been allowed to start in the World Cup even without the necessary FIS points.

At the end of July, the World Ski Federation announced that there would be wildcards for deserving ski stars in the future. Hirscher should have received one of them. This was met with a lot of criticism, but also understanding from some athletes. Now the FIS is apparently backing down. There will not be a wildcard for the entire season. Instead, Hirscher can apply for an exemption at each race. Whether this is approved will then be decided anew from competition to competition. But: According to ViewAccording to reports, hardly anyone within the FIS and the athletes' representatives doubt that Hirscher's proposals will be accepted.

Does Hirscher have massive material problems?

In recent days there have already been rumors about the Austrian-born man. Hirscher is said to have been slower than Alice Robinson in New Zealand. While some have already labelled the planned comeback as a PR stunt for his ski brand Van Deer, Hirscher's management made it known that this was not the case. Instead, the ski star had spent a lot of time tinkering with the material in New Zealand and therefore had not achieved top times.

According to reports, Hirscher is having major problems with his ski boots. The Van Deer skis, on the other hand, seem to be working well. It is more uncertain than ever whether Hirscher will be able to compete in the opening event in Sölden in just under a month. His manager announced that a decision has not yet been made.