class=”sc-cffd1e67-0 iQNQmc”>
1,814 people live in Sun Valley in the American state of Idaho. The village, founded as a ski resort about 90 years ago, is an insider tip for ski enthusiasts and culture lovers. From Ernest Hemingway to Clint Eastwood to Arnold Schwarzenegger, a number of prominent artists and thinkers have enjoyed nature at the foot of the local mountain, Bald Mountain, in recent decades.
But now the rustic Wild West romance around Sun Valley is taking a brief hiatus. The destination is the reason why FIS president Johan Eliasch (61) and Swiss ski boss Urs Lehmann (54) are once again at loggerheads. “I heard from the news that Sun Valley will host the World Cup final in 2025,” Lehmann, himself a member of the FIS council, told the skiactu.ch portal on the sidelines of the Lauberhorn races. “I had never heard of it.” And: “We have to think about who makes the race calendar. At this time, the planned procedures are not being followed. Right now, one person is doing it from home.”
Did Lehmann behave unethically?
Lehmann Eliasch says the person who has to create the race calendar from home is the person who has to do it from home. That’s why all hell is breaking loose now. The Swedish-British billionaire hears ‘unethical behavior’ in the words of the Swiss. At FIS headquarters, Lehmann’s words are also being taken as criticism of the current racing calendar, which has caused many problems on the World Cup circuit in recent months – most recently in Wengen, where serious crashes occurred after three speed races in three days. . Eliasch’s spokeswoman said: “Urs Lehmann is a member of the FIS council and has accepted the 2023/24 calendar without reservation. Now he has criticized the FIS for a calendar decision he previously approved. The FIS condemns such disingenuous behavior and believes that Urs Lehmann, member of the FIS Council, has acted unethically.”
Lehmann says he has taken note of the allegations. «My criticism was regarding Sun Valley and the overall calendar planning. In recent years, things have not always gone as they used to. That’s not good for the system. I stand by that.”
More racing in the US – but can the new destinations deliver?
Blick asked this to a number of senior FIS officials from different countries. The gist: A lot has actually changed. Before Eliasch’s time, race directors did the preparatory work, then the design went to the Alpine World Cup subcommittee before the FIS council voted on it. Currently the input from the race directors is much lower; instead, marketing considerations play a greater role. For example, they want to race more in the US because they see growth potential there. However, the infrastructure in American racing is not always beyond doubt. “The long-term calendars were drawn up at the headquarters in Oberhofen BE and not in this committee, which shows the changes in the FIS strategy,” the minutes of last September’s subcommittee meeting even say. The concepts only reach the committee at the last minute, which makes serious discussion impossible. The FIS does not want to officially confirm these changes.
There are also questions about a possible World Cup final in Sun Valley next year. The last World Cup race was held there in March 1977, Ingemar Stenmark won ahead of Christian and Heini Hemmi. According to FIS circles, none of the FIS technical experts have been on site yet. It is unclear whether the Idaho resort will be suitable for the World Cup 14 months before Day X. Nevertheless, the destination is now on the provisional calendar for 2025 as the World Cup final host nation. “No races have been determined yet – and none will be until the FIS Council has approved these races,” assures the FIS spokeswoman. “The FIS calendar is determined by the FIS Council following a rigorous process involving race directors, FIS staff, NSAs, organizers and many others. Urs Lehmann is very aware of this procedure, a fact that calls into question the motives for his current statement.”
This brings us to the question of whether Lehmann is now experiencing consequences for his statements. The FIS does not wish to comment on this. One thing is clear: there will be a lot of action in Kitzbühel outside the races on the legendary Streif. It’s a good thing Arnold Schwarzenegger comes there every year. As an action star and former governor of California, he has the natural authority to separate the two feuds if necessary – and as a regular, he also knows his way around Sun Valley.
Source : Blick
I’m Emma Jack, a news website author at 24 News Reporters. I have been in the industry for over five years and it has been an incredible journey so far. I specialize in sports reporting and am highly knowledgeable about the latest trends and developments in this field.
