“Our doors are always open for the teams”

Kerstin Löscher is the FIS Equipment Controller of the Women’s Nordic Combined World Cup.
She is committed to fair competitions and ensures that the rules are followed. In this weeks Tuesday Talk the German gives an insight in her tasks, reveals how she deals with disqualifications and how important it is for athletes to learn about taking responsibility for themselves.

What is your favorite part about your job as Equipment Controller in the Women’s World Cup?
I enjoy working with the women a lot. In particular, I find it very exciting to follow the personal and athletic development of the individual athletes. It’s also very nice to see the girls getting along very well across national borders and how happy and supportive they are of each other.

Are there differences between the controls in summer and winter? If so, which exactly?
There are hardly any differences between the controls in summer and winter, as the regulations are similar. The athletes use the same equipment in World Cup and Grand Prix competitions.

In the worst case, you have to decide about victory or disqualification. How do you deal with this great responsibility?
I always try to act fairly and equally. If there is a disqualification, there is hardly any time for explanations. Therefore, I give the women the opportunity to ask questions on a regular basis. That means, as soon as we have arrived at the hill and have set up our control equipment, our doors are always open for the teams.
I treat the athletes with respect and am there to support them, but their equipment is their own responsibility. For a fair competition, the rules have to be the same for everyone and the athletes have to accept the decisions that are made.

How often do disqualifications occur during a regular competition?
At the beginning of a season there are more often things that don't fit. That’s why it is important to check the athletes' equipment in summer, in order for them to fix everything before the first World Cup competition in winter.  
The disqualifications tend to decrease towards the end of a season. On average there are around one to two disqualifications per competition weekend.

Having to disqualify someone is not much fun. How do you convey the bad news and what reactions do you usually get?
I show the athletes exactly what doesn’t fit and also tell them directly that they are disqualified. The women, who have known me for a long time, deal with it confidently, because they know the process. It is more difficult with nations who can’t speak English very well and with athletes who are still very young and have little experience with equipment controls. In such cases, a conversation with a teammate or the coach is very helpful, because I want to make sure that they really understood where the problem was and that it doesn’t happen again in the future.

The FIS regulations are very complex. Do you know all the measures and rules by heart or do you have to check your notes from time to time?
I always have the current regulations ready in paper form and on my mobile phone. In terms of measurements, it's a little more complex. I know most of the values ​​by heart, but it's always good to have the written regulations as a backup. 
But of course, there are also measurements in terms of height, weight and ski length that I have to look up, as these vary greatly from athlete to athlete.

What are you particularly looking forward to in the coming World Cup season?
It’s most exciting for me to see who has developed how in Ski Jumping and in Cross Country skiing. I also have a lot of fun working with the different nations, both with the teams and with the FIS officials. If it were up to me, the season could start right away! (laughs)