Norway and the United States have criticized the FIS president for authoritarian tendencies
Several national ski associations have submitted statements to the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) expressing concern about the organization’s direction under President Johan Elias. In particular, representatives from Norway and the United States have cited signs of an authoritarian management style within the federation. Elections for a new FIS president are scheduled for June 10–11, 2026.
This was reported with reference to Skiforbundet.
“We believe that the current president, Johan Elias, should not continue to lead the FIS. The reasons include a lack of transparency and engagement, as well as the use of shared funds, which is depleting the organization’s reserves and undermining the reputation of international skiing,” the media outlet quotes Ula Keil, Secretary General of the Norwegian Ski Federation, as saying.
In addition to the Norwegian national team, the federations of the United States, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, Spain, and Canada are dissatisfied with the current president’s policies. All of these countries have submitted a joint statement to FIS.
The federations accuse Elias of an authoritarian management style at FIS, ignoring the opinions of national federations, and financial mismanagement of the FIS budget.
The election for the new FIS president will take place at the congress on June 10 and 11, 2026, in Belgrade (Serbia). In addition to Johan Elias, the candidates for the presidency include Hanna Harbo Falkenberg (Denmark), Victoria Gosling (United Kingdom), Alexander Ospelt (Liechtenstein), and Dexter Payne (United States).
Norwayplans to ban social media for children under 16.
The Lithuanian Seimas plans to consider legislative changes that would restrict access to social media for children under 16.
Greece plans to ban access to social media for children under 15. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is expected to announce this.
