Jan Überall to Become New Secretary General of the ÖSV from Autumn 2026

After studying sports science at the University of Innsbruck, the designated Secretary General began his professional career in his Tyrolean homeland at the Kitzbühel Ski Club. He has served there as Secretary General since 2015 and has helped shape the club organizationally and economically during this time. His roots in the storied Kitzbühel ski sport are considered one of the essential foundations for his appointment to the head of the national federation.

Hahnenkamm Races as a Springboard

Since 2024, Überall has also served as Managing Director of the Hahnenkamm Races and is responsible for the organisational and economic further development of one of the world's most renowned winter sports events. Under his leadership, the Hahnenkamm Races have continued to establish themselves internationally; the race on the Ganslern slope is considered one of the flagship events of Alpine skiing.

Überall also brings experience from international federation work. Through his roles on various bodies of the world federation FIS and his role as Vice President of Club 5 – the association of leading Alpine World Cup organisers – he has a broad international network and in-depth knowledge of the structures and market mechanisms of ski sport, according to the release.

International Network

Mario Stecher also emphasised the professional breadth of the designated Secretary General on Tuesday. Überall knows „den Skisport, die Strukturen der Vereine und unseres Verbandes" well and brings „gleichzeitig wertvolle Erfahrungen aus der Organisation internationaler Großveranstaltungen sowie der Kooperation mit unterschiedlichsten Partnern" mit, said Stecher.

The designated Secretary General himself responded to his appointment with a mixture of gratitude and programmatic words. "Ich bedanke mich bei der Präsidentenkonferenz für das mir entgegengebrachte Vertrauen – dieses einstimmige Ergebnis war mir persönlich sehr wichtig", commented Überall. He also announced his intention „Bewährtes fortführen, neue Impulse setzen und den österreichischen Skisport nachhaltig weiterentwickeln" zu wollen.

Programmatic Line

In terms of content, the designated ÖSV Secretary General did not yet reveal any concrete priorities in his first statement. "Gemeinsam wollen wir den ÖSV sportlich wie organisatorisch erfolgreich weiterentwickeln", was one of his programmatic sentences. In doing so, he picked up on the line that Stadlober had previously set out.

The personnel decision comes at a time when the federation must set the course for the coming winter seasons. On the World Cup calendar, Saalbach will once again host an Austrian World Cup venue event next season; at the same time, discussions are underway at the international level about Marcel Hirscher's special status in the World Cup and the future of FIS President Johan Eliasch. In this environment, the new Secretary General will act as a point of contact both for the domestic clubs and for the world federation.

Starting Position and Timeline

With regard to the timeline, the Presidents' Conference stated that the handover of operational business to Überall should take place on 1 September 2026. Until then, the previous incumbent Christian Scherer will continue to handle the ongoing agenda, according to federation circles. No further details were initially known about the exact shape of the transition phase.

In his new role, Überall will report directly to the President and the Presidents' Conference. As Chairman of the Management Board, he will in future bear overall operational responsibility for the office in Innsbruck as well as for the ÖSV's external representation at the national and international level. This also includes cooperation with the regional ski associations and the approximately 700 clubs organised within the ÖSV.

Tasks and Structures

The Kitzbühel Ski Club and the Tyrolean Ski Association reacted positively to the decision on Tuesday evening. Both emphasised the designated Secretary General's regional roots and pointed to his successful work in Kitzbühel. The fact that, with Überall, a Tyrolean will once again stand at the head of the ÖSV management for the first time in many years was interpreted by Tyrolean association representatives as a sign of appreciation for winter sports in western Austria.

From the perspective of market observers, the designated Secretary General is regarded as an upstanding expert with a large network in the Alpine scene. His role as Managing Director of the Hahnenkamm Races has shown that he is able to reconcile economic and sporting interests – a profile that will also be crucial for the future marketing of the ÖSV, it was said on the sidelines of the meeting.

With the unanimous appointment, the Presidents' Conference set „ein klares Zeichen für Geschlossenheit und Kontinuität", emphasised the ÖSV in its release. Überall will also engage with the federation's sporting guidelines in the coming weeks and hold initial discussions with the regional ski associations, Stadlober announced.