FIS News In Brief - Week 4 April 18
Cross-Country Skiing TV experts discuss upcoming season
With thoughts and efforts directed towards the upcoming season 2018/19, a workshop of international TV experts for Cross-Country Skiing was hosted on 24th April by Infront in Milan (ITA).
Experts including TV directors and producers, commentators and event organisers convened at the Infront headquarters in Italy to discuss the past winter, and improvements and ideas for the next season with FIS Cross-Country officials, and representatives of Swiss Timing, Infront Italy and EBU.
Topics included TV graphics, format development and adjustments of existing procedures in the TV running orders of FIS World Cup events. Many creative suggestions were bounced around between the representatives of YLE (Finland), NRK (Norway), ARD (Germany), ORF (Austria), NCP (Sweden) and SRF (Switzerland) during a joint dinner and a full day of smaller workshops and bigger discussion groups.
Meeting with Ski Association of Thailand
In conjunction with the recent SportAccord Convention in Bangkok, FIS President Gian Franco Kasper and Secretary General Sarah Lewis met with members of the Thailand Ski and Snowboard Association, including President Piyasvasti, a keen skier since his student days spent in Europe, and took the opportunity to discuss their activities to develop the sport.
At the PyeongChang Olympic Winter Games, the Thailand Ski and Snowboard Association qualified and fielded four athletes: one female and one male in Alpine Skiing and one female and one male in Cross-Country Skiing. One of the initiatives which is proving successful involves recruiting Thai citizens in winter sport countries who are active ski and snowboard participants. A programme of Roller Skiing training and competitions is also on the agenda.
At the upcoming FIS Congress in Greece, Sueb Tarasiri, Deputy Secretary General will be engaging with the Ski Association of Japan, who are assisting with training for the Thai athletes and looking to establish further contacts amongst other Asian nations where there is snow and established activities.
World Olympians Association studies effects of Olympic life
The World Olympians Association (WOA) is launching a study to examine the effects of high performance sport on athletes later in life.
WOA announced the initiative during the SportAccord Convention in Thailand last week. The study has the support of the IOC Medical and Scientific Commission, and will work to help better help Olympians after their athletic careers end.
At SportAccord, FIS Secretary General Sarah Lewis and World Rowing President Jean-Christophe Rolland completed the study, the first two data points for the WOA.
WOA wants to reach 10,000 Olympians with the questionnaire and is targeting the study to be published in the British Journal of Sports Science, after it is peer reviewed. The study will then be sent to International Federations around the world for advice on “recommendations and guidelines.
Tom Kelly up for USOC Award
Tom Kelly, Vice-President of Communications at U.S. Ski & Snowboard and Chair of the FIS PR & Mass Media Sub-Committee, is to be recognised in the Team USA Awards.
The United States Olympic Committee has announced that he will be given the "Building Dreams Award" which honours an individual, group or community that has gone above and beyond in its support of Team USA.
"In a pioneering move that reimagined media coverage at the Olympic Games, Kelly was the mastermind behind the USOC’s 'Managing Victory' tour, which is designed to help Olympic medallists capitalise on their success and promote their sport in the immediate aftermath of their podium performance” USOC said. “Now a cornerstone of both summer and winter versions of the Games, Team USA celebrated the sixth instalment of the programme at the PyeongChang Olympics, which also marked the final Games for Kelly in his current role with U.S. Ski & Snowboard which spanned 32 years and nine Olympic Winter Games."
The Awards ceremony – which will celebrate the performances from this year's Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in PyeongChang – is due to be held on 26th April. In total, 10 awards will be presented, including Olympic and Paralympic female, male, teams and coaches of the Games.
