International Women’s Day: Turning momentum into lasting change across snow sports

International Women’s Day is a moment to celebrate excellence, but for FIS it is also a checkpoint: a chance to measure progress, name what still needs to change, and continue along the path to making snow sports more equal, safer, and more representative at every level. 

Across the past year, that progress has been visible in places where change matters most: on the competition calendar, in decision-making rooms, and in the systems that support, educate and protect people in sport.

A historic leap: women added to Ski Jumping’s biggest stage 

Few events in winter sport carry the heritage and global profile of Ski Jumping’s Four Hills Tournament - and 2026/27 will mark a watershed moment. For the first time, the pinnacle of the FIS Ski Jumping World Cup calendar will fully include a women’s competition, enabled by new floodlight infrastructure at Innsbruck’s Bergisel hill and a schedule that can accommodate both genders. 

“Incorporating the women’s competition into the Four Hills Tournament marks a true milestone in the history of Ski Jumping,” said FIS President Johan Eliasch, when the announcement was made. “In recent years, FIS has shown unwavering commitment to closing the gender gap in snow sports, taking significant steps to advance women’s Ski Jumping.”  

What is more, FIS continues to work towards the inclusion of women’s Nordic Combined at the 2030 Olympic Winter Games in the French Alps, which would give full gender parity across all FIS disciplines. 

Growing the pipeline through Women Lead Sports 

Structural change also requires a strong pipeline - and that is exactly what FIS has invested in through Women Lead Sports, a leadership program designed to prepare women and their allies for senior governance roles. The first two FIS-sponsored cohorts have resulted in 48 graduates, with participants drawn from NSAs, disciplines, Para sport, and FIS staff.  

“The issue isn’t a lack of women who can or will take on leadership roles. It’s about access to power, key knowledge and to decision-making positions,” said course leader Gabriela Mueller Mendoza in a recent Inside FIS interview. “Systems need to change, and there is a lot of responsibility on leaders to ensure clarity, transparency, ethical practices, and less gatekeeping.” 

Equal opportunity in action 

Equality is not only about podiums. It is also about access: who feels welcome, who gets coached, who gets opportunities to progress, and who can picture themselves in snow sports. 

At the inaugural Allianz FIS Freeride World Championships Andorra 2026 by Mammut, a women-only Freeride clinic - delivered by the Freeride World Tour - created a structured, supportive environment focused on confidence, skills development, and mountain awareness. 

The demand spoke for itself: registration for the Andorra clinic filled in 22 minutes. But the bigger picture is what matters: a multi-year commitment to improve gender equality in Freeride, not only among athletes, but across judging, coaching, media, operations, and leadership roles - the roles that shape how a sport is run and how it is presented. 

Making sport safer: safeguarding training and world-class expertise 

Gender equality and safe sport are inseparable. Participation cannot be equal if safety is not protected - especially in youth pathways and development environments. 

FIS has made safeguarding education concrete by introducing mandatory safeguarding training for coaches, coordinators, and FIS experts participating in development camps. This is designed to ensure that athlete welfare is prioritized at every stage of the journey - and that adults in positions of trust have the competence to recognize concerns early and respond appropriately. 

FIS is also strengthening practice by drawing on international expertise. Since joining FIS as an external consultant in April 2024, Marcella Leonard MBE has helped shape a proactive approach to mental health safeguarding in snow sports, including psychological awareness sessions for coaches and support around wellbeing and reporting concerns. The message is consistent: safer sport is not achieved by statements alone, but by training, practical guidance, and systems that support people when they need help. 

Indeed, “Training the female athlete,” a series of free online seminars that was launched by former athlete Virginia De Martin Topranin in 2024 to provide scientific insights into female-specific challenges, has continued to gather momentum – averaging over 60 attendees per session.  

“Thanks for this interesting and important webinar series. It’s great to see the continued focus on female athletes and the consistency of these monthly discussions,” said one participant, while another highlighted that “this kind of knowledge is vital for pushing the boundaries. We appreciate all the effort you put in and the positive energy you’re sharing with the ski and snowboard community worldwide.”

Eleven webinars in the series have been run, spanning 2025 and early 2026, featuring expert speakers from around the world. Recordings of all 11 are available to watch on the FIS TV home page, while sign-ups are still open for this season’s remaining three sessions. 

Representation where decisions are made 

Progress is also being tracked in governance, with FIS reporting following the 2024/25 season showing that women now make up 50% of the FIS Management Board and 30% of the FIS Council. 

FIS continues to take steps to increase women’s representation across the snow sports ecosystem, mindful that a long journey still lies ahead, not only for snow sports, but for society at large. The task now is to keep turning momentum into lasting, visible, measurable change - season after season, across every discipline, and at every level of snow sports.