Swiss-Ski Proposes Urs Lehmann To Succeed Gian Franco Kasper As FIS President

After FIS President Gian Franco Kasper announced last November that he would step down from this year's FIS Congress, the Swiss Ski Presidium dealt with the succession plan. The strategic decision was made to do everything possible to ensure that the FIS presidency remains in Swiss hands after Marc Hodler and Gian Franco Kasper.

"We are very pleased that Urs Lehmann has decided to run for the presidency of the FIS - knowing that, of course, a great deal of specialist knowledge would be lost within Swiss-Ski," says Bernhard Aregger, CEO of Swiss-Ski . "We are convinced that Urs Lehmann, with his experience as a former top athlete, long-time CEO of the Similasan Group and as President, is predestined for the office of FIS President as one of the most important and largest national ski associations."

Dr. Urs Lehmann said “It is a great honor and an obligation for me to run for Gian Franco Kasper's successor. It is important that we maintain continuity at FIS as our international umbrella organization, but also introduce new visions and ideas. I feel ready for this challenging task », says Urs Lehmann.

The downhill world champion from 1993 has been a member of the Presidium of Swiss-Ski since 2006 and President of the Swiss Ski Association since 2008. Under Lehmann, Swiss-Ski has been experiencing the most successful era since the end of the 1980s in the alpine world since the home world championships in St. Moritz 2017 - with the high point of winning the Nations Cup for the first time in over 30 years. The Nordic look back on the most successful decade ever, while in the snowboard and ski freestyle sector twelve medals for Swiss-Ski resulted on the last two major events.

In addition to this extremely positive sporting record, the past twelve years have been characterized by continuous development of the association - both structurally and financially. Swiss-Ski's turnover doubled during Lehmann's presidency to 57.7 million Swiss francs. The media and advertising rights relating to the World Cup events were re-marketed and important new concepts in medical care, research and development, and also in trainer training were implemented.

Should Urs Lehmann be elected President of the World Ski Federation on the occasion of the 52nd FIS Congress, it would be up to Swiss-Ski delegates to then determine his successor at the head of the Swiss Ski Association. The Presidium of Swiss-Ski has already dealt extensively with the possible succession plan and has decided to port the previous Vice President Peter Barandun as a possible successor if Lehmann leaves. He is happy to follow the wishes of his Presidium colleagues and would be available for the office of Swiss-Ski President if this had to be replaced. Barandun is CEO and Chairman of the Board of Electrolux Switzerland. He was elected to the Swiss-Ski Presidium in 2012.