Presidential candidate HRH Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan produced his most vocal attack on the leadership of FIFA on Tuesday, setting out his stall to fix the tarnished reputation of football’s global governing body.

He spoke of a “culture of intimidation” within FIFA, where people can be punished for standing up for principles. 

Challenging Sepp Blatter and the other two candidates, Michael van Praag and Luis Figo, to a public debate in the run up to the election, he said he hopes the presidential election will be conducted fairly. 

Prince Ali plans to meet soon with van Praag, who he says he admires, and his friend Figo, to discuss strategy and said he would welcome the opportunity to work with them as a team.

He also said he will forsake his seat on FIFA’s Executive Committee if he does not win the election, as he is not prepared to work any longer under the current leadership.

Continental support

Speaking in London to a select group of media including HOST CITY, he revealed the names of the five national football associations from three continents that have nominated him to stand.

“The countries are Belarus, Malta, England, Jordan, USA – and so I’ve very happy with that – and of course Georgia,” he said. 

“These nominations are from three different confederations, which I am very happy with.” 

It has been widely reported that FIFA’s continental confederations tend to vote as blocs, and that incumbent FIFA president Sepp Blatter has the support of five out of the six confederations. 

However, Prince Ali downplayed the power of confederations in the election process. “This is not a question of confederations – this is a national association vote for the presidency of FIFA and I don’t think that any confederation is necessarily united in that respect.

“I don’t think anyone has a ‘stranglehold’ on any confederation; I think it’s up to member associations to decide.”

He also said the calls for reform are widespread. “I don’t think that it’s just in Europe that there are concerns about FIFA. I see that, having been in South America, in Asia and in Africa and I think it’s time now to make that change.”

A “culture of intimidation”

Addressing speculation that the leadership of the Asian Football Confederation, of which Jordan is a member, has not backed his bid, Prince Ali said “There is a culture of intimidation within FIFA but, having said that, this is a candidacy for the whole world.

“This is a world issue and not just about confederations.”

Pressed on what he meant by “intimidation”, he said “In the past if people take a principled stand, they end up being possibly punished for it.”

Observers have suggested that a strategy is underway to challenge Blatter via an early multi-pronged attack that could switch to supporting a single challenger.

However, Prince Ali welcomed the other candidates. 

“It’s very good that there is more than one candidate and it’s also emblematic of people’s desire to have a positive future. I look forward to meeting with them as soon as possible. 

“Luis Figo is a friend of mine, I know him very well. Michael can Praag is also somebody who I admire and respect a lot, so I would like to sit them down and have a good and honest discussion about how they see things.”

Asked about whether a joint candidacy might even be a possibility, he said: “That does not fall within our statutes, but I would be very welcome to have support and work as a team and with everybody for the future of football. 

“We need to be centralised a bit and we need to give everybody a role and we need to come up with a new way of conducting the sport, from the bottom up.”

Building on a his core message of transparency, he said “I would like to see before the election a public debate, including the incumbent, so that everybody knows across the world what our positions are. I’m ready to do it.”

Rebuilding trust

Widespread concern over allegations of corruption in the bidding process for the 2018 and 2022 World Cups has had a negative impact on FIFA, with a number of sponsors having dropped their support in recent months. 

“There are many complaints obviously, in particular the reputation of FIFA and where it’s at right now,” he said.

“I am there to rebuild trust in our organisation and that doesn’t include only in our national associations but all stakeholders." 

Asked about how this could be achieved, he said “FIFA needs to include everyone – including yourselves, members of the press. 

“You need to have a long-term plan that does not change based on the whims of a president, and based on real decisions that are conducted with all stakeholders in the game – and fix our reputation. That’s the way I’ve always worked.”

Central to the challenges facing FIFA is the controversial way in which Qatar was awarded the 2022 World Cup. Asked if he would consider stripping a country of its hosting rights, he said “First of all I believe that every single association has the right to host the World Cup, regardless of their size and so on. 

“Having said that, I was one of the first to ask for the Garcia report to be made public. Because this is a world game and everyone needs to understand what is going on – that is transparency in its essence. 

“The problem really lies in how things took place: for example the double bid. We need to know why that happened. If Qatar had another four years to prepare their bid in a proper way, we wouldn’t be in this situation.”

Prince Ali was also drawn into pointing the finger directly at Sepp Blatter for the crisis of trust in FIFA.

“Blatter has been president and definitely the president needs to be held personally responsible for what happens; and if I am president I certainly will take responsibility for all actions at FIFA.

“I have a lot of respect for what he’s done in the past, but if we talk about proper reform I am not confident that I’ve seen it. 

“He’s had the chance to do so; we’ve had Mark Peith’s report, which was never in my opinion shown. We’ve also had promises from him that he would not run again – but obviously that was not the case. 

“In full honesty and integrity, he should give the chance to others such as myself.”

Presidency or out

Prince Ali also announced his plans to leave the FIFA Executive Committee if he does not become president of FIFA.

“I have been on the Executive Committee for the last four years and I understand what has been going on,” he said.

“I have always tried to reform FIFA as best I can from the inside, but having said that I do believe the way to go ahead is to run for the presidency itself.”

“My total commitment is running for the presidency of FIFA. I’m not going to sit through another four years of what’s been going on and the only way to change it is from the top."

Despite his core message of a lack of transparency within FIFA’s administration, he remains hopeful that the election process can be conducted fairly and that he can win the election.

“I think I have my reputation, I am where I am and I just hope that things work out in that way, that it’s fair and it’s honest."

The presidents of FIFA's member associations will elect their president on May 29th.

“It’s long campaign, so I don’t think anyone should be written off. Globally there is a desire for change and I am committed to that.

“If things are played fair and rightly, things will grow in the appropriate way.”

Luis Figo, the retired Portuguese footballer who is running for the presidency of FIFA, has said that the organisation is right to recommend hosting the World Cup in late November and December 2022 – despite the disruption this would cause to the European football leagues.

“The FIFA Task Force recommendation is the right decision for the World Cup,” he said in a statement. 

After a six month consultation process, the FIFA task force recommended earlier today that the 2022 World Cup should take place at the end of the year, to avoid clashing with the Olympic Games, Ramadan and the hottest months of the year. 

“It has to be played in the best possible conditions for the fans and players who will enjoy a great World Cup atmosphere, and for Qatar who deserve to be put in the position to organise a great event,” Figo said.

“With good will and a sense of solidarity it is always possible to find the right solutions.”

Figo’s endorsement is in contrast to the reaction of other leading European football administrators. The European Professional Football Leagues and the European Clubs Association had been pressing for the World Cup to take place from 5 May to 4 June and will continue to oppose the proposed date change. 

Richard Scudamore, the chief executive of the English Premier League, said “It's the European leagues and European clubs that are going to suffer the most, so it's very disappointing."

While Figo has been outspoken about the need for transparency in FIFA, he is taking a very diplomatic stance on the issue of Qatar’s right to host the World Cup. At the launch of the manifesto for his presidential campaign last week, he acknowledged that there are reports of “irregularities that have taken place, reports not made public” but said “If there are no irregularities, I don’t think Qatar should be prejudiced [against].”

Luis Figo was the first of the candidates for the FIFA presidency to launch his manifesto today, proposing radical changes to an organisation that he says has deteriorated under the current leadership and suffers from a “negative reaction”.

The retired Portuguese footballer pledged to redistribute at least half of FIFA’s funds equally around the world to develop football at the grass roots level. 

With the aim of establishing good governance, Figo wants to establish a FIFA Football Council to advise the president and Executive Committee, as well as an independent governance, audit and compliance committee with powers to “control the actions of the president”.

He also announced a proposal to increase the number of members on the Executive Committee, with equal representation from each of the continental confederations.

In a bid to boost the global appeal of his candidacy, he also announced plans to increase the number of non-European teams competing in the World Cup.

Figo’s and FIFA’s funding

Drawing on his own life story, Figo revealed that his campaign is entirely self-funded. “I grew up in working class of Lisbon, playing on streets,” said Figo. “My life changed through the power of football and I am lucky to be an independent man. I don’t owe anyone anything; this means I can serve FIFA in the interest of football, for football.

“Thank God I’ve had a long and successful career. When you retire, you need to have a balance – it’s on a smaller scale than FIFA’s budget but the way I’ve managed my finances shows that I can stand on my own two feet. I have enough money to pay for my candidature.”

Figo plans to redistribute FIFA’s revenues to enable children all over the world to get a chance to become professional footballers. 

“I was very lucky and fortunate to play and get training from an early age but I know this opportunity does not exist for many children across the world,” he said.

“This is why I propose radical changes to the way FIFA redistributes its membership payments.

“I want to see at least 50 per cent of FIFA funds spent on grass roots football and to increase the size of the funds available.”

This amounts to US$ 2.5 bn. He also wants to distribute an additional US$1bn directly to the member associations over a four year period. 

Currently, the member associations receive less than US$ 4m per four years.

He questioned FIFA’s current approach of setting aside a US$1.5bn reserve pool to cover the possibility of the World Cup being cancelled. “This money is not FIFA money – it is the member associations’,” he said. 

“US $5m is enough to cover the operational cost of FIFA.”

This offer of cash may help Figo to gain backing for his campaign from the 205 member associations around the world that elect FIFA’s president on 29th May. 

In another bid to boost the appeal of his campaign outside Europe, Figo also said he would like to increase the number of teams competing in the World Cup, without increasing Europe’s participation. 

"I believe we should consider proposals to expand the competition to a 40 or even 48-team World Cup," he said. "Both these options are feasible with an extra three to four days of tournament play."

Structural changes to restore trust

Central to his campaign is rebuilding trust in FIFA. 

“In the last few months and years we’ve come to realise that the FIFA image has deteriorated. 

In Brazil, during the most important sport competition the World Cup, I could see protests against the organisation – and this was in a country that loves football deeply. 

“I could see the reaction to the president of the organisation – I could see quite a negative reaction. This is not an appropriate image.

“When I started to look at all the news about scandals I decided that something needed to change.”

The changes that Figo proposes are major and structural. 

“There must be transparency. My proposal is to change structures, so there will be a wider consultation with members. 

“In the different confederations, we will organise meetings between 10 and 15 member associations... and the summaries of those strategic meetings will be distributed and passed on to the board.”

He also announced plans to establish a new FIFA Football Council to advise the FIFA president and the Executive Committee on issues including the calendar and format of events as well as the laws of the game and football development. 

This council would have a moderating role over hosting decisions.

“It is also important to maintain decisions within the council in terms of which countries go on to organise the World Cup,” he said.

On the issue of the controversy and investigations surrounding the 2018 and 2022 World Cups, he acknowledged that there are reports of “irregularities that have taken place, reports not made public.”

But indicative of his aim to achieve global appeal, he did not support any of these claims, saying “If there are no irregularities, I don’t think Qatar should be prejudiced [against].”

He also proposes to merge the existing ethics and disciplinary committees to create a new governance, audit and compliance committee.

“For there to be transparency, the governance committee would have to be a fully independent committee from the council and also from the executive committee, and therefore that they could control the actions of the president.

“With these measures defining the different responsibilities and powers of each body, I think we would have the right measures for transparency within the organisation.”

The composition of the Executive Committee would also become a more level playing field with equal representation internationally. Each continental confederation would have one seat per ten member associations, with an additional seat for member associations that have won the World Cup, with a limit of eight seats per confederation.

With six confederations each bringing up to eight members, this would represents a major increase on the current Executive Committee membership of just 27. 

Can he win it?

Figo chose to launch his bid in London, with the venue for the press conference switched from Stamford Bridge to Wembley Stadium at 24 hours’ notice. 

"London is a global city and Wembley is an emblematic football space. There is no better place to present my ideas to the world,” he said.

Figo’s candidacy was nominated by six European associations. Whether he will be able to gain support from the 205 member associations, the vast majority of whom are said to have unwavering support for the incumbent president Sepp Blatter, remains to be seen. 

“Mr Blatter, well I respect him, he has been leading the organisation for many years. He has had many positive achievements for football and for the organisation but a point has reached where change has needed.”

 Figo’s other competitors in the presidential race are Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan and Michael Van Praag of the Netherlands. 

“Looking at the other candidates, we have some good ideas, someone who is in the Executive Committee and who knows how the organisation works internally. Also the Dutch FA president I know and respect very much; he has a lot of experience.”

He denied suggestions that he might step aside to support a single challenger to Blatter. 

“My idea is right now is to run to the end, to see as many people as possible regarding the presidency and to convince them with my ideas.

The president of FIFA will be elected at the FIFA Congress on 29th May.

Luis Figo on Wednesday put himself forward as a candidate for the presidency of FIFA, promising to improve the organisation “deteriorating” image and remove its association with “scandal”.

Announcing his bid with just one day to go before the deadline, Figo joins Prince Ali of Jordan, Jerome Champagne and David Ginola as a challenger to FIFA president Sepp Blatter. 

"I look at the reputation of Fifa right now and I don't like it. Football deserves better.

"In recent weeks, months, and even years, I have seen the image of Fifa deteriorate,” Figo told journalists. 

"If you search FIFA on the internet, you see the first word that comes out: 'scandal.' Not positive words. It's that we have to change first and try to improve the image of FIFA. Football deserves much better than this.

"I've been talking with so many important people in football – players, managers, president of federations – and they all think that something has to be done.

The brand image of FIFA’s most valuable product, the World Cup, is at risk, Figo said.

“Last year was the World Cup, I was in Brazil and I saw the reaction of all the fans regarding the image of FIFA and I think something has to be changed.

"Change in leadership, governance, transparency and solidarity, so I think it's the moment for that."

All candidates will need to show the support of at least five nominating member associations in order to validate their presidential campaigns. 

FIFA’s Harold Mayne-Nicholls, who led the evaluation commission for, and questioned the outcome of, the controversial 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding procedure has said he may also enter the race.

The 42-year old footballing legend played for Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan, winning FIFA World Player of the Year award in 2001 and the Ballon d'Or in 2000.

FIFA requires presidential candidates to demonstrate that they have worked as “a board member, committee member, referee, assistant referee, coach, trainer [or] any other person responsible for technical, medical or administrative matters in FIFA, a Confederation, Association, League or Club”.

The president will be elected on 29th by FIFA members. Support for incumbent President Blatter is said to be very strong. 

Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein of Jordan has kicked off his bid for the FIFA presidency by telling media that the organisation must become more transparent.

In his first interview since announcing his candidacy, Prince Ali Bin Al Hussein also announced plans to begin a ten year programme of reform, while stating he would not necessarily want to hold the position of president “long term”.

Speaking to the BBC, Prince Ali pointed to weaknesses within the current framework without directly attacking the other candidates Sepp Blatter and Jerome Champagne, in line with his promise to run a positive campaign. 

"Fifa as an organisation tends to be a bit secretive, but we should be confident and happy to be open and engaged with everyone,” Prince Ali said on Saturday. 

Prince Ali was a key figure in the push for FIFA to publish its report into alleged corruption. 

"I was the first to ask for the Garcia report to come out. We should have nothing to hide.

"I don't see a reason to be guarded. We have to bring the administration of sport into the current time we live in. I want to bring back that confidence.

"I believe we should be totally transparent.”

The move to making FIFA more transparent is part of a wider campaign to transform FIFA. 

"Reform is crucial,” he said.

This emphasis on reform has echoes of the recently approved Agenda 2020 programme at the IOC, of which Prince Ali’s older brother Prince Feisal is a member.

"I will look to a 10-year programme for the organisation where everyone is a part of it, and ourselves as the executive committee will implement it.”

In contrast to the lengthy terms served by current president Sepp Blatter and his predecessor Joao Havelange, Prince Ali told the BBC the role is "not something I want to do long term,” adding "A lot of things can happen and I'm confident we can [reform] in quick time."

He plans to build his manifesto through discussions with FIFA members. 

"In the coming months, I will be looking to sit down and talk to all our member associations and listen to them.

"I'm not coming in to dictate. I have my ideas and progress I want to implement, but I have to hear back from my colleagues.” 

Prince Ali’s campaign has been undermined by the assertion on Friday by Shaikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa, president of the Asian Football Confederation that all 46 AFC member associations will vote for Blatter.

His ability to run FIFA has also been called into question by his competitor Jerome Champagne, who told the BBC “Last year he lost the election in Asia, so if you don't have a base in your own region and own continent, how can you be expected to be elected at the world level?"

FIFA’s longstanding president Sepp Blatter on Friday welcomed Prince Ali entering the election race, telling Swiss newspaper Le Matin: "I can only rejoice in this nomination. We are a democracy, and this can only be beneficial for debate.

"And do not they say that win without peril is to triumph without glory?"

The president will be elected on 29th May at the FIFA Congress. 

According to the FIFA website, “In the spirit of true democracy, each national association has one vote, regardless of its size or footballing strength.”

[Source: QOC] His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee and Senior Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), has officially announced his candidacy for the Presidency of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), reaffirming his commitment to contributing to the development and unity of Asian sport in the years ahead.

The announcement follows the Olympic Council of Asia’s official call for nominations for the presidential elections, issued on 15 July 2025, in preparation for the upcoming General Assembly, which will be held in January 2026 in the city of Tashkent.

On this occasion, H.E. Sheikh Joaan expressed his sincere gratitude and appreciation to H.E. Raja Randhir Singh, the current OCA President, for his significant contributions and dedicated leadership in advancing Asian sport, as well as his unwavering commitment to strengthening solidarity and cooperation among National Olympic Committees across the continent. His Excellency also fully supported the OCA Executive Board’s decision to appoint H.E. Raja Randhir Singh as Honorary Life President of the Olympic Council of Asia, in recognition of his longstanding service and enduring legacy within the Olympic Movement in Asia.

H.E. Sheikh Joaan affirmed that his candidacy is rooted in a strong belief in the power of sport to foster development and unity among nations. He emphasized the potential of Asian sport to achieve transformational progress in areas such as governance, sustainability, digital transformation, and athlete empowerment.

He also highlighted the importance of promoting fairness in opportunity distribution, strengthening collaboration among NOCs, enhancing sports infrastructure, and creating greater platforms for youth and women to take part in shaping the future of sport in Asia.

His Excellency’s candidature is built on an ambitious strategic vision for Asian sport, grounded in five core pillars: solidarity, digital transformation, sustainable development, credibility, and economic and financial resilience. It is underpinned by His Excellency’s extensive experience in sports, his proven track record at the helm of the Qatar Olympic Committee, and his active role within the international Olympic Movement, particularly as Senior Vice President of ANOC.

The upcoming OCA election is expected to draw significant interest from the international sporting community, amid growing global challenges and the need for dynamic leadership that promotes transparency, cooperation, and innovation across the Asian sports landscape.

Founded in 1982 and headquartered in Kuwait City, the Olympic Council of Asia is one of the most prominent continental sports organizations. It brings together 45 National Olympic Committees and plays a pivotal role in coordinating regional sports activities, supporting development initiatives, and enhancing cooperation in governance, infrastructure, and institutional capacity building.

The OCA also oversees the organization of major multi-sport events including the Asian Games, Asian Winter Games, Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games, Asian Beach Games, and the Asian Youth Games - competitions that continue to elevate Asia’s sporting profile on the world stage.

As the International Olympic Committee (IOC) prepares to elect its next president, the seven candidates vying for the role have laid out their visions for the future of the Olympic Movement. While their manifestos cover a range of topics – including governance, sustainability, and athlete welfare – each candidate presents a unique perspective on how future host cities will be selected, supported, and shaped by their policies.

Here’s how the key proposals could impact cities bidding for and hosting the Olympic Games.

Lord Sebastian Coe: greater accountability for host cities

Coe introduces a bold governance reform: an initial four-year presidential term with a confidence vote for renewal. If implemented, this could create a more dynamic leadership approach that holds the IOC accountable to its promises – something host cities have long demanded.

His emphasis on modernising the Olympic brand and broadcasting strategies also suggests a stronger focus on ensuring host cities benefit from global media engagement, helping them maximise commercial and tourism opportunities.

Kirsty Coventry: athlete-centric host cities

Coventry’s manifesto prioritises athlete welfare, which could influence how host cities plan their venues, accommodations, and support services.

She also calls for leveraging AI and digital platforms to enhance engagement with younger audiences. For host cities, this could mean greater emphasis on interactive fan zones, esports integrations, and digital-first engagement strategies to make the Games more appealing to the next generation.

Johan Eliasch: sustainability and flexibility in hosting

Eliasch is the most radical when it comes to rethinking the structure of the Games. He proposes a rotational hosting model for the Winter Olympics, where specific cities or regions would repeatedly host the event. This would significantly reduce costs and environmental impact, making the Winter Games more accessible to cities that struggle with long-term infrastructure investments.

Additionally, his manifesto calls for a complete review of all sports and event formats to enhance their appeal to fans – potentially leading to changes that affect venue requirements and the commercial viability of hosting.

HRH Prince Feisal Al Hussein: a more inclusive bidding process

Prince Feisal emphasises modernising and democratising the Olympic bidding process. His proposal to raise the IOC membership age limit from 70 to 75 could allow for greater continuity in the Games’ strategic direction.

For host cities, a notable idea is the creation of an "Olympic Agenda 2036," which includes integrating cultural festivals into the Youth Olympic Games. This would encourage cities to rethink their event planning beyond just sporting venues, potentially making the Games a broader cultural and tourism initiative.

David Lappartient: more transparent selection and host representation

Lappartient focuses on governance reforms that could reshape how cities are chosen to host the Games. He proposes:

• Reducing the number of IOC commissions to streamline decision-making
• Hosting an Olympic Congress, where all stakeholders – including prospective host cities – can discuss the future of the Games
• Achieving gender parity within the IOC by 2036, potentially influencing the selection of host cities based on their commitment to gender equity in sport

His emphasis on broader participation in IOC decisions could make the host selection process more transparent and inclusive.

Juan Antonio Samaranch: restoring full member voting for hosts

Samaranch seeks to return Olympic host city selection to a full IOC membership vote, reversing recent changes that shifted the decision-making power to the Executive Board.

This would bring greater transparency and competition back to the bidding process. Cities bidding for future Games would need to engage more directly with the entire IOC membership rather than focusing on a smaller group of decision-makers.

Morinari Watanabe: a multi-host Olympic model

Watanabe presents the most dramatic change for host cities: a decentralised Olympic model, where the Games are hosted simultaneously across multiple continents. This approach aims to:

• Reduce the financial burden on a single host city
• Increase global participation
• Expand the commercial reach of the Games

If implemented, this would completely reshape how cities approach Olympic bidding and planning, moving from a single-city model to a shared responsibility between regions or nations.

what’s at stake for future host cities?

While all candidates recognise the need for sustainability, financial viability, and inclusivity, their approaches differ significantly. Some, like Samaranch and Lappartient, advocate for greater transparency in the bidding process, while others, like Eliasch and Watanabe, propose fundamental changes to how and where the Games are hosted.

For cities considering a bid, these manifestos highlight key questions:

• Will the host selection process become more democratic or remain streamlined under the Executive Board?
• Will future Games prioritise financial sustainability with rotational or multi-host models?
• How will digital and AI-driven engagement reshape expectations for host cities?

The next IOC president’s policies will shape not just the future of the Games, but also the cities that host them.

Sarah Lewis OBE OLY has announced her candidacy for President of the International Ski Federation (FIS - Fédération Internationale de Ski), the world’s largest winter sports governing body.

The official candidacy nomination has been submitted to FIS by the Royal Belgian Ski Federation, of which she is a member.

The candidacy could ultimately make her the fifth – and first female – President in the 97-year history of FIS, founded in 1924 and whose disciplines now represent over half of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games programme.

Lewis is pledging to transform FIS into a global movement for world skiing and snowboarding as part of her FIS Piste Map - the blueprint for the future of the organisation. 

She will further integrate the 135-member ski and snow sport National Associations and the athletes into the governance, drive a digital transformation to strengthen commercial potential and introduce crucial governance reforms to future-proof FIS.

She is also pledging to implement a Covid Recovery Fund for National Associations, renounce a presidential salary and introduce financial efficiencies notably in these unprecedented times. Boosting gender diversity, athlete, youth and emerging member nations initiatives, strengthening the all-important symbiotic relationship between ski, snow sport and tourism, and focusing on sustainability, the environment and legacies for the mountain regions hosting global events are also important priorities.

FIS, whose current President Gian-Franco Kasper stands down after 23 years, will see its first contested and virtual election in its history, on 4 June 2021.

New era

Lewis was Secretary General of FIS for twenty years until last October, when her departure was announced – she is now running for President in this “new era” of FIS. 

She had always stated that she would not declare a candidacy to run as President before the conclusion of the FIS World Cup and Championship season, to maintain complete focus on the sport and athletes.

“We are entering a new era for FIS and global sport - an era that requires FIS to tackle its role in a changed, more inclusive and demanding society, and an era that FIS must embrace for growth, a healthy future for our sport, with our athletes at the centre,” she said. 

“We have been presented with a unique opportunity - to elect a 21st Century President, whose full focus is to work hand-in-hand with the National Associations and stakeholders, leading FIS on a strategic transformation to become a global movement for world skiing and snowboarding.

“I have devoted myself to our sport as an Olympian, to FIS and our community, and to the Olympic Movement as a participant, manager and a leader. 

“I am now making this journey for one reason - to work together to build a FIS that is fully representative of the global ski and snow sport community, and fully equipped to take us well into the second centennial of FIS, with a crystal clear plan, transparency and accountability. Together I believe we can achieve much more.”

Lewis, who put on skis aged five, has spent her life in snow sport. By the age of 15 she was training internationally, becoming a ‘citizen of the world’, and at 24 she represented Great Britain at the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary.

In 2000, after two years as FIS Director, she was appointed Secretary General.

She has made it her mission to understand the global landscape and has actively participated in competitions and events in 59 member nations over the years, while taking every opportunity to promote FIS and snow sport as a member of the International Olympic Committee Programme Commission, sitting on three Olympic Winter Coordination Commissions and two Youth Olympic Games Commissions, and working at five Olympic Winter Games. 

Lewis has also served as Secretary General of the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF) and Chair of the World Anti-Doping Agency Independent Observers at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

In 2018, she was awarded the title of Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) for her services to sport. 

[Source: Grundy Communications]

Visit www.sarah-lewis.com to see the full Presidential campaign manifesto of Sarah Lewis.

The International Ski Federation (Fédération Internationale de Ski) is responsible for the Olympic disciplines of alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, Nordic combined, freestyle skiing and snowboarding, and is headquartered in Oberhofen, Switzerland, in close proximity to some of the world’s most famous snow sport destinations.

Sarah Lewis is speaking at Host City Americas on 29-30 June, Online.