Ski-Ing and Olympism
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Ski-ing and Olympism Summary Part Ill The Competitions - Technical aspects ; Foreword by the president of the FIS. - Ski-ing in the Winter Olympic Games : General Information on the FIS. - Participation by NOC from 1924 to 1980 ; - Nordic Ski-ing : events on the programme, list of winners ; Part I - Alpine Ski-ing : events on the programme, The History of the FIS list of winners ; Origins and foundation, subsequent develop- - Senior World Nordic Ski-ing Champion- ment through congresses, successive Presi- ships ; dents and Secretaries General, biographical - World Ski-flying championships ; notes. - Junior World Nordic Ski-ing Champion- ships ; - Nordic Ski-ing Cups ; Part II - Senior World Alpine Ski-ing Champion- The Administration of the FIS ships ; - Junior World Alpine Ski-ing Championships ; Organisation chart, aims, member federations, - Alpine Ski-ing World Cups ; Congress, voting rights, Council, Executive - Major international competitions. Committee, President, Committees and sub- committees, the General Secretariat, Financ- ing, Training and improvement of technical Part IV officials, the main FIS publications, films. Olympic Awards Obtained. 51 From a slier in 1908 (etching by Edgar Bouilette )... ... to the success of a recent fun-run 52 Foreword The International Ski Federation was founded on February 2nd, 1924 during the first Winter Games in Chamonix. Prior to this date meetings and competitions had been held in our sport. The coincidence of the dates in Chamonix are significant for the close relationship and interdependence between the Olympic Movement and the sport of skiing. In the course of the following 80 years, the Winter Games have greatly contributed to the success and to the popularity of the Olympic Movement. In spite of the fact that snow-covered areas on this earth are limited, participation by countries and athletes, and to even a great extent the coverage by the mass media, has been continuously and rapidly growing. On the other hand, an increasing number of cities and winter resorts are becoming interested in playing host to the Olympic winter Games. As a general rule the International Olympic Committee receives many more invitations for the Winter Games than for the Games of the Olympiad to be held in the summer. However, the first Olympic Winter Games held in Chamonix not only gave birth to the International Ski Federation, but also turned out to be the beginning of a most successful promotion and development of winter sports in general and of skiing in particular. Until 1924, skiing had been a predominantly nordic sport. From 1924 onwards, however, in the context of the rapidly growing popularity of winter tourism and winter holidays, the so-called alpine events, downhill, slalom and some ten years later giant slalom, initiated their victorious advance to world-wide recognition. Today nordic and alpine skiing can be jointly considered the most widely practised winter sports. The relationship between the International Olympic Committee and the International ski Federation, as successful as it has been for both parties, has not been without problems and crises. With the expansion of winter tourism, skiing, earlier than other sports, had to cope with the interference of commercial interests. On the other hand, the requirements of time and therefore of absence from homes, schools and jobs due to the geopraphical situation of snow and mountains call for rather advanced and liberal rules on eligibility, which did not always meet with the approval of the leading personalities of the Olympic Movement. With feelings of satisfaction and relief it may be acknowledged today that any conflicts on this important matter are past history. With the new policy of the International Olympic Committee and its rules 28, many International Sports Federations in their bye-laws have followed skiing on its way towards a more realistic approach to eligibility. We are honoured and pleased to have been invited to present our Federation and our sport in this issue of the “Olympic Review”. Marc Hodler, President of the FIS and of the International Assembly of Winter Sports Federations, IOC member in Switzerland 53 The International Ski Federation FIS General Information Year Founded: 1924 President in Office : Marc Hodler * (SUI) Secretary Genera/ in Office: Gian Franco Kasper * (SUI) Treasurer in Office : Fritz Wagnerberger (FRG) Address : Worbstrasse 210, Postfach, 3073 Gumligen B., Switzerland Telephone : 031 I52 58 15 Telex : 911 109 fis ch Cables : Fis Güimligen e M Marc Hodler, President * See biographical notes The four Vice-Presidents 1 2 3 4 7. A. Akentiev 2. Y. Ito 3. H. Koskwuori The Secretary General The Treasurer 4. B. Little 5. G.F. Kasper 6. F. Wagnerberger 5 6 54 Part I Engraving of a skier on the rock walls of a cave, dating back some 4000 years, discovered on the The History of the FIS island of Rodoy (NOR). Origins and foundation Ski-ing has existed since time immemorial. and Germany (1905) and Norway, Finland and The old Scandinavian legends bear witness to Sweden (1908). this. In a cave in the North of Russia can be found what is probably the oldest wall painting in the world representing a skier. Its age ? Beyond doubt, several thousands years ! In Sweden, geologists have dated fragments of antique skis as being four thousand years old. Paulus Diaconus, in 770, named the Lapland- ers as “Skridfinnen” (Gliding Finns). If the existence of ski-ing is very ancient, its practice as a sport is very recent. It was not developed in Norway until after 1850, when the first races were held around the town of Christiana, which later became the city of Oslo. Ski-ing’s universal fame dates from the perfor- mance accomplished by Fridjhof Nansen (NOR) in Greenland in 1888. Using skis, the famous explorer was able to cross Greenland from one sea to the other in 46 days. Pierre de Coubertin, who revived Olympism, together Stone engraving discovered on the shores of the with his colleagues from the IOC paid him a White Sea (URS). special tribute by awarding him the second Olympic Diploma of Merit in 1905. From 1870 onwards, the Alpine countries were From 1910 to 1924, an international Ski-ing in turn affected by the rapid expansion of Commission strove to monitor the develop- ski-ing as a sport: the first competitions in ment of competitive ski-ing throughout the Germany in 1879, the foundation of the first world. Swiss Club in 1893 at Glaris initiated by Christoph Iselin. National Ski Federations In 1924, at the time of the first Winter Olympic appeared in turn in Russia (1896), Czechoslo- Games, this commission gave birth to the vakia (1903) the United States (1904), Austria Federation lnternationale de Ski. 55 Subsequent development through Congresses I. 18th February 1910 at Christiana (NOR) International Ski Federation with a view to 22 delegates from 10 countries establishing approved rules for jumping and to find the best way to resolve the problems of the When the Norwegian Ski Association was amateur. We are convinced that the delegates being set up in 1908, the possibility of from the different countries would like to see the founding an International Federation was competitions at Holmenkollen. Thus we propose raised. The following year, on 2nd February to organise the Ski Congress within the context 1909. during international ski-ing competitions of the competitions... ”. at Morez (FRA), the trainer for the Norwegian skiers, Durban Hansen, spoke up during the Delegates from ten nations agreed to attend. distribution of prizes and issued an invitation On 18th February 1910, Karl Roll, President of on behalf of his national association to those the Norwegian Ski Association, welcomed present to attend a Ski Congress at Christiana them at Christiana, and then chaired the with the aim of setting up this International debates. The discussions ended with the Federation. Officials and competitors from setting up of an International Ski Commission France, Italy and Switzerland enthusiastically (CIS). A major task was entrusted to this applauded this invitation. Two months later a Commission - the establishment and written confirmation was sent to the responsi- application of a set of rules for each type of ble authorities in eleven countries where the ski competition. Karl Roll, declined the offer to sport of ski-ing was practised. be the first Chairman of the Commission, for private reasons. This text stipulated : “Over the last ten years, we have noted a keen interest in developing the sport of ski-ing in many countries. We therefore Amongst the delegates was future IOC Presi- believe that the time has come to found an dent, J. Sigfrid Edström. Christiana - 1910. The above photograph shows: in the first row, from left to right: Albert Weber (SUI), Rudolph Gomperz (AUT), J. Sigfrjd Edström (SWE), Karl Roll (NOR, President), Hepp (FRA), E. C. Richardson (GBR) and Rudolph Biehler (ALL). Second row. a secretary, G Gerjer (SWE), Carl Hellberg (SWE), C. W J. Tennant (ECO), Schubert (BOH), Hassa Horn (NOR), H. Aslund (SWE), Hoffmann (SAX) Third row N Thisell (SWE). Carl Gröndahl (NOR), Hargberth Steffens (NOR, representing Spain). Harald Durban Hansen (NOR), Thorleif Björnstad (NOR. representing Switzerland), Nicolai, Ramm Õstgaard * (NOR, who was to be President of the FIS from 1934 to 1951, representing Bohemia), Alf Staver (NOR). Car/ Nordenson * (SWE). 56 V. 27th-28th February 1914 - Christiana (NOR) 17 delegates from 10 countries - Hassa Horn (NOR) becomes President of the CIS. - The German delegate suggests for the first time that ski-ing be included on the Olympic programme. Carl Hellberg (SWE) opposes this plan, which had already been envisaged and rejected by the authorities in his country. Thus the question is put back to the next congress planned for 1915 at Salzbourg (AUT). However, war leads to its cancellation. 1916 : First CIS Council PT: Johannes Dahl (NOR) K.