FIS Seminar, growing athlete representation, and a new cross-disciplinary approach to key topics: a preview of the 2025 Spring Meetings

May 01, 2025·Inside FIS

FIS Seminar 2024 © Agence Zoom

From 5 to 9 May, representatives from the National Ski Associations (NSAs), athlete representatives, and key stakeholders from across the snow sports family will gather at the Tivoli Marina Vilamoura Algarve Resort in Portugal for the FIS Spring Meetings.

While the focus will be on reflecting on the 2024/25 season, discussing – and potentially implementing – rule changes, and preparing for the Olympic and Paralympic season 2025/26, the annual gathering has evolved into much more than a series of technical meetings.

Following the success of its inaugural edition in 2024, the FIS Seminar on Bridging the Gaps: Building Inclusive Sports Leadership Together will once again kick off the week.

The second edition will shine a spotlight on Nature and Biodiversity Protection and Restoration, underscoring the vital role sports organizations must play amid growing environmental challenges. The event will begin at 09:30 with an opening by Michel Vion, followed by inspirational speeches and presentations under the themes ‘Coexistence between Winter Sport and Nature’ and ‘Mapping Relations with Nature.’

After a Lunchtime Lab, FIS Director for Development Programs Dimitrije Lazarovski will present the outlook for the third edition of the FIS Seminars. The seminar will conclude with the Nature Protection and Restoration Award ceremony, recognizing pioneering environmental initiatives within snow sports.

The newly created Women Committee will also lead its first workshop as an interdisciplinary working group. Previously divided into the Sub-Committee for Women’s Nordic Disciplines and the Sub-Committee for Women’s Alpine Skiing, the unified committee will now guide efforts on all questions related to women in snow sports.

Creating an interdisciplinary Women Committee was a natural step forward. Many of the challenges and opportunities in women’s sport are not discipline-specific — they cut across our entire snow sports community. By bringing together experts and representatives from all sectors, we can tackle issues such as visibility, development pathways, leadership opportunities, and equity initiatives with greater unity and impact. The first workshop in Vilamoura will focus on identifying key topics and shaping a strategic roadmap for the seasons ahead.– Fiona Stevens, Member of the FIS Council and Leader of the Women Committee

Additionally, the various Sub-Committees for Youth and Children’s Questions will convene for their first-ever joint session on Tuesday, 6 May.

“The goal [of the first-ever joint meeting] is to bring all important topics, which are usually discussed separately within each sport, in front of all committee members at the same time. This allows us to take a more holistic approach to key areas like wellbeing, safeguarding, development, education, and the sharing of best practices across all FIS disciplines.

It will help improve communication and break down the siloed approach that has existed so far. At the same time, sport-specific Youth and Children’s meetings will continue in a more focused format to address the particular needs of each discipline. With this new structure, we are aiming for greater efficiency, transparency, better communication, and a stronger reach within the Youth and Children’s community,” explained Dimitrije Lazarovski, FIS Development Program Director, whose department monitors and supports Youth and Children’s initiatives.

Athlete representatives from the FIS Athletes' Commission will not only represent the athletes’ voice within their respective discipline-specific committees and sub-committees but will also contribute across interdisciplinary committees and working groups, such as the Committee for Advertising Matters, the Women Committee, and the Transgender Policy Working Group, ensuring athlete perspectives are heard in broader discussions impacting all snow sports disciplines.