The Alpine Skiing World Cup traditionally starts in Sölden, Austria, on the last weekend of October, but this year the giant slalom classic race has a special tension.
The reason is the FIS rule of the International Ski Federation, which prohibits the use of fluoride creams in all FIS World Cup competitions. In addition to alpine skiing, the rule also applies to cross-country skiing, ski jumping, combined, snowboarding, freestyle and freeski.
The fluoride ban is officially in force for the first time at the Sölden World Cup.
However, alpine skiers are not satisfied with the current situation. The dissatisfaction goes back to the FIS meeting held in Zurich in the last week of September, where representatives of the federation presented the control equipment and mechanisms of the fluoride ban. The alpine stars were not convinced of the functionality of the system and remained speechless.
Urheilu has seen a 4,000-character petition, at the end of which the top 30 athletes in alpine skiing have signed it. The petition is addressed to the president of FIS For Johan EliaschSecretary General To Michel Vion and to members of the board of the union.
The athletes emphasize in their petition that they are not against the fluoride ban but want the ban to be implemented in a controlled manner. According to the petition, FIS’s current control system is not reliable, and the legal protection of athletes is not realized in the presented model regarding possible protests.
In the petition, it is hoped that FIS would follow the legislation of the European Union and allow the use of fluoride creams on the market that comply with the provisions of the law. The law regarding the use of fluoride is getting stricter in the next few years, but the athletes believe that FIS will be able to develop a reliable system to monitor the fluoride ban during the transition period of the law change.
The petition ends as follows:
“By postponing the fluoride ban, which in principle we welcome both from the perspective of health and sustainable development, we are protecting our species. In any sporting competition, fairness and equal opportunities are fundamental issues. These are not realized with the current test methods and due to the ambiguities related to the rules. Vice versa. This matter is a serious threat to the integrity and reputation of our sport.”
Urheilu reached the vice-chairman of the FIS board Martti Uusitalo, who said he only heard about the petition for the first time. He said via text message that he does not want to comment on the matter, because according to him it has not been on the table of the FIS board.
FIS spokesperson Jenny Widecke signaled that the fluoride ban is on the agenda at the next meeting of the FIS board.
– The government will discuss fluoride creams on Wednesday. Everything related to it will be announced at that time.
Federations tried to prevent athletes?
A high-profile person influencing the equipment side of alpine skiing confirms to Urheilu that the petition started circulating among the athletes two weeks ago.
– I have heard that the stars have signed it, even though some unions tried to prevent them from doing so, says the source, who remains anonymous.
Urheilu’s expert, 1999 world champion in slalom Kalle Palander have not seen the petition. However, Palander says that he heard from reliable sources that the best 30 calculators in both men and women would have signed the petition. Otherwise, there is a collective silence among the athletes.
Palander was present at the FIS meeting in Zurich at the end of September, but did not make it to the presentation on the fluoride ban.
– When the sport leaders and other people in the room left the meeting, heads were mostly spinning.
No more delay
FIS introduced the rule regarding the ban on the use of fluoride creams already in 2019. At that time, the federation assured that the ban would come into force in the 2020–2021 season.
Since then, FIS has moved the fluoride ban forward by a year for three consecutive years. Palander does not believe that the FIS will announce the fourth transfer on Wednesday.
– It would be really great to see that FIS would stick to the rule and someone would be caught by it. Alppi would get publicity. I believe that all publicity is good publicity.
In alpine skiing, technical sports are mainly played on icy slopes, where the importance of fluoride creams is almost non-existent. On the other hand, in speed sports with long slides, such as in Wengen’s lunge, the situation is different.
In Sölden’s giant slalom, FIS tests fluoride creams on skis in two ways. In the opening round, an athlete can only be tested by lottery, while in the second round all the top 30 of the opening round are tested.
Palander is very afraid that the games might see quota-type rejections.
– I very much hope that this will not once again be used as a trick for some accountant in a small country. It has happened quite a few times when FIS has changed the rules. Is it about cutting the ski, raising pieces, whatever. Quite often, athletes from small teams are rejected, and the big ones just get through everything, says Palander.
Urheilu shows Sölden giant slaloms live. The women start their season on Saturday 28.10. and men a day later.