Media: Threatening the End of the World Cup! Rebellion in Ski Jumping

Threatening the End of the World Cup! Rebellion in Ski Jumping

Jan Winkiel, the general secretary of the Polish Ski Association, stated in an interview with TVP Sport, "With the current FIS authorities, it is difficult to predict anything." This comment refers to the chaos surrounding the conflict between the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) and the working group named "Snowflake." This coalition consists of major ski jumping nations that disagree with FIS's plans, primarily concerning financial issues.

Interest in skiing, including ski jumping, is lacking, which has led to intense reforms within the discipline. One such reform involved new rules regarding jumping suits, which have already affected athletes like Dawid Kubacki. The best ski jumpers in the world will need to adapt to these new regulations before the World Cup season begins.

Despite the turmoil, the World Cup continues to attract millions of viewers. Considering television rights and the attempt at centralization, the stakes have grown significantly. Last year saw the beginning of this conflict, which quickly escalated.

A group opposing FIS has arisen, threatening the World Cup's future. Winkiel explained that "UEFA's centralization of rights took a full six years in football. Skiing wanted to resolve this issue in less than a year, assuming the solution would be accepted without criticism or questions, which was unrealistic."

The situation regarding television rights is now remarkably different than in global football. Currently, the rights belong to the host countries of the World Cup events, including Poland, which only holds three weekends throughout the year and does not consider itself a heavyweight in this regard. However, Poland is backing the prominent nations such as Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Norway that opposed FIS's initial proposals.

FIS President Johan Eliasch, who has been in office since 2021, has initiated his agenda, but the traditional powerhouses of ski jumping did not oppose his ideas per se; they were simply unhappy with their initial form. The threat of cutting organizers off from profits from television rights resulted in the formation of the working group "Snowflake." This coalition, along with Poland and Slovenia, is advocating for greater influence over decisions.

Concerns are high regarding who will manage significant sums of money involved. To complicate matters, FIS's approach to many issues remains unpredictable. Winkiel refers to the current situation as a sort of "scare tactic" and acknowledges that a complete withdrawal from FIS by national associations is nearly impossible, mainly due to the necessity of the world federation for participation in Olympic Games or World Championships. The struggle over television rights in the world of ski jumping may last for years.

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