The FIS Council held its spring Meetings during the FIS Congress Week in Cancun (MEX) from 6th-11th June.

The tasks of the Council before the Congress Meeting itself included going through the agenda for the FIS Congress, reviewing reports and matters arising from the Organising Committees of the FIS World Championships and Olympic Winter Games, as well as dealing with proposals from the FIS Technical Committees in relation to World Cup calendars, the appointment of technical officials, adaptation to various rules, approval of technical courses and allocate financial support for special projects.

In addition, status updates from a number of other FIS activities were addressed including Anti- Doping matters, marketing and communication projects, the Bring Children to the Snow campaign and business reports from the FIS companies FIS Marketing AG and FIS Travel Service.

The main decisions of the Council in Cancun include the following:

FIS World Cup calendars 2016/2017 to 2019/2020
A number of modifications to the FIS World Cup Calendars for the 2016/2017 season proposed by the respective Technical Committees were approved, the final versions of which are available on the FIS website. Calendar drafts for future seasons were also reviewed.

FIS World Championships and Junior World Championships
As already announced, the Council elected the following Organisers of the 2020/2021 FIS World Championships:

• 2020 FIS Ski Flying World Championships - Planica (SLO)
• 2021 FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboard World Championships - Zhangjiakou/Genting Resort (CHN)
• 2021 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships - Cortina d’Ampezzo (ITA)
• 2021 FIS Nordic World Ski Championships - Oberstdorf (GER)

In addition the following Organisers were appointed:

• Idre Fjäll (SWE) FIS Speed Ski World Championships 2017
• FIS Freestyle Junior World Ski Championships 2017, Valmalenco (ITA)
• FIS Telemark Junior World Ski Championships 2017, Rjukan (NOR)

Technical Committees
A number of adaptions to the technical rules were made, details of which have been published under the discipline committee reports. These include:

Cross-Country Skiing
– The reduction of quotas for World Cup competitions. The maximum number of athletes per nation is reduced to 15 (from 22) and for the FIS Tour de Ski maximum 10.
– In order to preserve classic technique, the Jury may ban the use of specific techniques on marked sections of the course.

Ski Jumping
– The application of Verifox as a new ski brand for Jumping skis as successor of the former brand Fluege.de was approved.
– The introduction of a Ski Jumping ladies team event at the Junior World Championships. Nordic Combined
– Introduction of the FIS Youth Cup Nordic Combined for boys and girls 

Alpine Skiing
The starting order for downhill and super G (speed events) will be adapted as follows:
- Athletes on the WCSL ranked 1 to 10 will choose between bibs 1 and 19 (odd numbers)
- Athletes WCSL 11 to 20 are drawn between bibs 2 to 20 (even numbers)
- Athletes WCSL 21 to 30 are drawn between bibs 21 to 30

From season 2017/18, the ski specifications for men's giant slalom skis at all competition levels will be as follows:
Minimum ski length: 193 cm (- 5 cm tolerance only in FIS level competitions)
Minimum radius: 30 m
Maximum width under binding: < 65 mm
Maximum width at the top: < 103 mm

Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard
One Technical Committee combining Snowboard and Freestyle Skiing will oversee the governance of both disciplines. Four distinct sectors will have their own Sub-Committees with experts members for each discipline and event:

• Park & Pipe Sub-Committee (HP, BA & SS) - Snowboard and Freestyle Skiing
• Cross Sub-Committee (SBX & SX) - Snowboard and Freestyle Skiing
• Freestyle Mogul and Aerial Sub-Committee (MO & AE)
• Snowboard Alpine Sub-Committee (PGS & PS)

Other Decisions

Anti-Doping
Prohibited scientific and medical Equipment
The use of use Oxygen tanks, hypoxic chambers or cryogenic chambers or similar medical equipment is prohibited during FIS World Championships, World Cups and other competitions registered in the FIS Calendar:

Sochi 2014 - Allegations of manipulation to doping samples at the laboratory
In regard to the allegations about manipulation to the samples at the Anti-Doping laboratory used during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, FIS awaits the outcome of the WADA Investigation led by Richard McLaren, before evaluating and liaising with WADA and IOC as to whether there is further action required by FIS. In any case FIS is cooperating fully with the WADA Investigation.

Creation of ISS Database
The Council approved the installation of a specific database with SAP as part of the Injury Surveillance System to record injury data in all FIS disciplines for research and evaluation of injury status.

Election of the FIS Vice Presidents, Treasurer, Doping Panel Chairman
Vice-Presidents: Sverre Seeberg (NOR), Janez Kocijancic (SLO), Dexter Paine (USA), Aki Murasato (JPN)
Chairman of the Finance Commission and Treasurer: Sverre Seeberg (NOR)
Chairman of the FIS Doping Panel: Patrick Smith (CAN)

Nomination of Committee Members and new Committees
The members of the FIS Committees were appointed for the period 2016 - 2018. The complete list of members will be published on the FIS Website in the coming days.

FIS Council Member Dean Gosper (AUS) has been appointed chairman of the combined Snowboard Freestyle Freeski Committee. In view of the restructuring of Freestyle Skiing and Snowboard, the members of the main Committee and the four new Sub-Committees mentioned above under the Committee Decisions will be proposed by the National Ski Associations in the coming months and appointed by the Council at the next Meeting in November 2016.

FIS Calendar Conference 2017 (Technical Committees and FIS Council Meeting)
Portoroz (SLO) will host the FIS Calendar Conference and the FIS Council Meeting from 24th -28th May 2017.

Source: fis-ski.com