April 23, 2026 Johan Eliasch, the current president of the International Ski Federation (FIS), has secured a Georgian passport to meet eligibility requirements for his re-election bid, with the vote scheduled for June 11 in Belgrade, Serbia. Eliasch, who has led the FIS since 2021, must hold a valid passport from the country of the nominating member association at least 60 days before the election, according to FIS statutes. The Georgian ski association nominated him, though it has not publicly explained its decision. Previously, there were speculations that Eliasch might obtain an Armenian passport instead.
The FIS will finalize its list of eligible candidates on May 20 after an international panel review. Eliasch faces competition from Alexander Ospelt of Liechtenstein, Anna Harboe Falkenberg of Denmark, Dexter Paine of the USA, and Victoria Gosling of the UK.
Controversial Re-election History
Eliasch’s previous re-election in 2022 drew criticism after the German Ski Association labeled the process a "farce." At the time, voters could only choose to support Eliasch or abstain, with no option to vote against him. The controversy raised questions about transparency within the FIS leadership structure.
His initial appointment in 2021 followed the tenure of Gian-Franco Kasper, who stepped down after 23 years as president. Eliasch, a Swedish-British businessman, has since focused on modernizing the federation’s governance and expanding its global reach.