FIS Athletes’ Commission strengthens global voice at FIS Congress and International Athletes’ Forum

Jun 25, 2025·Inside FIS

International Athletes' Forum 2025 @ IOC / Christophe Moratal

The FIS Athletes’ Commission (AC) continues to elevate the voice of athletes within the global snow sports community, following key developments at the recent FIS Congress and its active participation in the 12th International Athletes’ Forum (IAF) in Lausanne.

At the FIS Congress held online on June 13, 2025, Danielle “Dani” Aravich (USA), a dual-season Paralympian in track and Para Cross-Country Skiing, was officially welcomed as the newest member of the FIS Athletes’ Commission and the FIS Council. With her election, the number of athlete votes on the FIS Council increased to four—marking a significant milestone in athlete representation. These four votes are now equally split between able-bodied and Para athletes, with two votes held by each group. This not only strengthens the overall athlete voice within the Council but also ensures a more inclusive and balanced representation of Para athletes at the highest level of decision-making in FIS.

Reflecting on her new role, Aravich shared:

“I’m honored to serve as the new rep for Para Cross-Country Skiing for FIS. I’m also so honored that I’ll get a seat at the table of the FIS Council and serve on the Athletes’ Commission. I think that it’s so incredible that FIS is prioritizing the conversations around Para sports and seeing how we can bring this winter sports movement of Paralympics into a brand-new space and continue to push the sports forward, bringing more attention to them, more eyeballs, and helping athletes along the way.”

The four Athlete Representatives currently serving on the FIS Council are:

Verena Stuffer (ITA) – Alpine Skiing

Alex Fiva (SUI) – Ski Cross

Adam Hall (NZL) – Para Alpine Skiing

Danielle Aravich (USA) – Para Cross-Country

The Commission, composed of 16 elected members serving until 2027, is co-chaired by Fiva and Stuffer. It plays a vital role in shaping the future of FIS sports, with members holding full voting rights in their respective discipline committees and on the FIS Council.

The Commission’s mission is to represent athletes’ interests in FIS governance, promote safety, health, and career development, and champion causes that ensure the sustainability and growth of snow sports.

Being an Athlete Representative means to let the voice of the athletes be heard—to improve our sport, make it safer, more interesting, and more valuable.– Verena Stuffer (ITA), co-Chair of the FIS Athletes' Commission

Aravich echoed this sentiment, emphasizing the importance of visibility and advocacy for Para athletes:

“We have such a dynamic and interesting sport, with so many incredible athletes from all over the world whose stories deserve to be told, races deserve to be watched and I can’t wait to continue to advocate for myself and all the other athletes as we bring Para sports to the forefront of many of these conversations. We’re less than one year out from the Milano-Cortina Games and I know this is going to be an incredible Games for all three Para winter snow sports.”

In parallel, the FIS Athletes’ Commission was represented at the 12th International Athletes’ Forum, held June 11–12 in Lausanne, by alpine snowboarder Alexander Payer (AUT). He joined over 400 athlete representatives from across the Olympic Movement. The forum, hosted by the IOC Athletes’ Commission, tackled critical topics such as athlete mental health, safe sport, sustainability, and career transition.

Payer reflected on the experience:

“It’s very special to see all these different sports and how they work. It’s a big benefit for the winter sport community to learn from the broader Olympic movement. We’re always just thinking in our winter sports bubble, but the winter sports bubble is very small compared to this big Olympic movement community and it’s very nice to see what is outside of our bubble.”

He emphasized the importance of cross-sport learning and the need for greater athlete education and awareness of the resources available through the IOC and its partners.

The IAF also featured powerful messages from global sports leaders. Outgoing IOC President Thomas Bach called for unity and solidarity through sport in his final appearance in the role, while his successor, President Kirsty Coventry, highlighted the role of athletes as ambassadors and role models.

We need to ensure we create an incredible platform—the Olympic Games—for athletes to succeed and give back to their communities.– Kirsty Coventry, IOC President

As the FIS Athletes’ Commission continues to engage with international partners and advocate for athletes across disciplines, its presence at events like the IAF underscores its commitment to building a stronger, more connected, and athlete-centered future for snow sports.