FIS Development Programme for Developing Ski Nations

Background for the FIS Aid & Promotion Programme for Developing Ski Nations

The FIS Aid & Promotion Programme for Developing Ski Nations was established using the funds from the World Championship Candidates fees following the decision by the 1996 FIS Congress in Christchurch (NZE) that the election of FIS World Championships Organisers would be delegated to the FIS Council. The first season the programme was in place was 1997/1998.

Participating National Ski Associations

Currently the following 46 National Ski Associations ("NSA") are supported within the FIS programme of Aid and Promotion for Developing Ski Nations:

Albania (ALB), Algeria (ALG), Andorra (AND), Armenia (ARM), Argentina (ARG), Belgium (BEL), Bosnia Herzegovina (BIH), Belarus (BLR), Bolivia (BOL), Brazil (BRA), Bulgaria (BUL), Chile (CHI), Croatia (CRO), Cyprus (CYP), Denmark (DAN), Estonia (EST), Georgia (GEO), Greece (GRE), Hungary (HUN), India (IND), Iran (IRA), Ireland (IRE), Iceland (ISL), Israel (ISR), Kazakhstan (KAZ), Kyrgyzstan (KGZ), Korea (KOR), Latvia (LAT), Lebanon (LIB), Lithuania (LTU), Luxembourg (LUX), Morocco (MAR), Mongolia (MGL), Macedonia (MKD), Monaco (MON), Nepal (NEP), Pakistan (PAK), Portugal (POR), DPR Korea (PRK), South Africa (RSA), San Marino (RSM), Rumania (ROU), Serbia (SRB), Slovakia (SVK), Chinese Taipei (TPE), Turkey (TUR), Ukraine (UKR) and Uzbekistan (UZB).

Additional National Ski Associations are invited to participate in various Aid and Promotion projects, depending on the actual situation in each of the National Ski Associations and their efforts, activities and resources.

Organisation

The Aid & Promotion Working Group consisting of three members from nations that are involved in the Aid & Promotion Programme coordinates the various activities within the programme.

The consultant for Aid & Promotion and Development activities, Josef Zenhäusern, collaborates with other development organisations and agencies that may be able to provide assistance for the various activities and initiatives within the FIS Aid & Promotion Programme. Planning, preparation, local organisation and implementation of all these various projects are kept to the minimum possible and maximum necessary in order that as much funding as possible can be directed to the activities.

Activities

Direct financial support for training and/or equipment for the National Ski Associations

A small financial contribution for their individual training programmes was provided to 46 National Ski Associations. This funding may be used for own training activities, the purchase of ski equipment or equipment for the organisation of races.

Free training days

The elected Organisers or Candidates for the FIS World Championships are required to provide free training days according to the FIS Rules for World Championships.
One free training day includes free accommodation, three meals and free access to all training facilities for one athlete.

Training camps in the various disciplines

The FIS Aid & Promotion Programme is organising in the following disciplines training camps for athletes and in part of the camps also for coaches:

Cross-Country Skiing
In the past the FIS Cross-Country camps have been organised in summer in Estonia and in Finland. The FIS Cross-Country trainings camp in the last years were held in Czech Republic.

Ski Jumping
Since 1999 FIS invited Ski Jumping athletes from developing Nations to join the FIS Training Camp in summer in conjunction with the Continental Cup competitions.

Alpine Skiing
A high level training camp for Alpine athletes is organised since many seasons. Always in July a first week's training is taking place on the glacier in Pitztal (AUT) for a evaluation (selection camp), where the trainers select those athletes to follow the second and third period, which continue until January.

Training and Competitions organised by groups of National Ski Associations

Asian Ski Federation (ASF) projects
The Asian Ski Federation is organising every season a range of activities for their member nations including courses for trainers, course-setters and other training and educational projects as well as Asian Alpine Ski Championships for Children.

Balkan/Small European Nations (SES) Cup competitions
Competitions organised by the European and Middle-East nations small and developing ski nations in different countries were financially supported.

South American competitions
Every year the Patagonian Children's Championships are organised by the South American developing ski nations and are supported by the FIS Aid&Promotion Programme

Education, seminars

Different seminars, courses and workshops conducted by FIS experts for officials of small and developing nations were organised within the programme:

Seminars for Leaders
A Seminar for Leaders from National Ski Associations is organised every year in the autumn. Example of targets of the seminars are the following:

- Organisation of development activities of National Ski Associations
- New ski disciplines, technical requirements, training problems (snowboard and freestyle)
- Financial problems: Sponsoring
- Sponsoring concepts
- Information about FIS Solidarity, Olympic Solidarity
- Task of National Ski Associations: Information on FIS Anti-Doping

Youth & Children's Seminars
In conjunction with the Coordination Group Youth and Children, thisSeminars on the subject is organised every year. The conferences took place in Magglingen (SUI, 2003), in Bukarest (ROU, 2004) and in Dublin (IRE, 2005) and since 2006 the seminar is organised in conjunction with the FIS Technical Autumn meetings in Zurich (SUI), taking place on the first day.

The following subjects in the work with kids and children have been discussed:

- Ski sport and education
- Teaching Ski Sport Techniques for Kids and Youngsters
- Fitness and Power Training for Young Skiers and Snowboarders
- Teaching Questions and Experiences of Ski Training and Teaching with Youngsters.
- "How to" solutions and suggestions for the promotion of snow sports for kids (5 - 11 years old)
- Snow & Fun, advice for new kind of competitions
- Medical questions / Injury prophylaxis
- Kids village a ski school model
- Experiences from a world cup athlete

Various projects

Analysis of recondition of the Olympic Area in Sarajevo
During the war all the facilities were destroyed. A small chair lift could be re-opened thanks to the help of different nations, whilst FIS analysed the question of snowmaking facilities. A solidarity race for children is planned.

Project North Korea
After first investigations for the development of potential ski resorts, re-organisation and support for the National Ski Association has been made as well as contacts to companies for equipment. Again the Aid&Promotion Programme supported the North Korean Ski Association with skiing equipment including skis, ski boots, etc.

Support of a new Ski area in the City of Minsk
In the middle of the City Minsk, the Belarus Ski and Snowboard Federation built up a hill, on which the children of the city can ski or snowboard. The Swiss DEZA (Department of development and cooperation) has invested approximately CHF 200'000.-- for this development project.

Dream Programme Yong Pyong, Korea
The Organisers of the Yong Pyong World Cup race invited approximately 200 young people from ski developing countries to a course program with training in all kinds of winter sports.

Long term projects
A second international snow seminar together with the FIS partner for snowmaking, Sufag was held in Cyprus. In addition, preliminary investigations by the Cyprus Ski Association with the company Doppelmayr for a Ropeway from Platres-Trodos has been made.

Information on FIS Solidarity can be found here