Alexander Ospelt from Liechtenstein won the presidency of the International Ski Federation in a narrow 65-64 vote at the congress held in Belgrade. The outcome marks the tightest presidential election in the organization's history.
Ospelt, a 58-year-old lawyer and former chair of Liechtenstein's ski federation, will lead FIS for the next four years. He called for greater unity among member nations and described the split result as an opportunity to build shared goals.
Karin Mattsson, the Swedish candidate for the FIS Council, lost by a single vote. She expressed satisfaction with the new president's election and noted positive reactions from colleagues across countries.
The congress also welcomed Belize as the 142nd member nation and confirmed Guinea-Bissau's full membership. Organizers postponed the decision on the host for the 2031 Nordic skiing world championships.
The next FIS congress is scheduled online for 2027, with the 2028 edition set for Vilnius, Lithuania.
