– I cannot believe that such a smart person and such a successful entrepreneur as Eliasch can come up with such idiotic ideas, said the Swiss alpinist Daniel Yule to the Swiss newspaper Blick recently. He reacts strongly to several of the Swedish president’s ideas that deal with the future of alpine sports. Eliasch has indicated several times that he wants to expand the alpine circus to other parts of the world, such as the Middle East, for example. But already this season there have been changes that did not go down well with everyone. Especially with Norwegian glasses, note that Kvitfjell is no longer on the men’s race program. It is the first time since 1993 that the traditional race is not on the calendar. Instead, there has been an extra trip to the USA on the programme, which means that the alpine skiers travel across the pond and back twice. FIS PRESIDENT: Johan Eliasch. Photo: DENIS BALIBOUSE / Reuters Switzerland with a salvo of power The biggest change that can come in the near future is the World Cup in the Middle East. If Eliasch gets his way, alpine stars such as Aleksander Aamodt Kilde, Henrik Kristoffersen and Ragnhild Mowinckel can ski either in the mountains in Saudi Arabia or in a ski hall in Dubai. Yule will still not be seen in the Middle East, we are to believe him himself. – When that day comes, I will quit immediately, he claims. HARSH CRITICISM: Daniel Yule is not impressed by Johan Eliasch’s plans for alpine sports. Photo: JOE KLAMAR / AFP news has not been able to get in touch with either FIS or Eliasch. Source believes alpine sports may be heading in the wrong direction when it comes to the calendar. – I have the impression that he (Eliasch) will make the sport bigger all over the world. But I think you have to be careful about keeping it to areas where it is already popular, and that is in Europe and the USA. There are other ways to make the sport popular, without having to go far more times a year. Maybe he has to make the program more effective, he says to news. Alpine expert Lars Elton Myhre also believes that it is problematic to expand in that way, especially to countries in, for example, the Middle East. – This is unmusical on many levels. It is environmentally irresponsible to add events to places with little or no natural snow, or existing facilities, says Myhre. In terms of both logistics and climate, the plans therefore create challenges. Even with a number of alpine stars, including Kilde, sending letters to FIS. Kilde is not impressed by the response he received. – Nothing has happened yet. There was a reply from them, but it was a bit disappointing, because they did not agree on what was written there. What we wrote was extreme, but it must be addressed. I thought they (FIS) should be more flexible and find opportunities that are good for both parties, says Kilde. Photo: Lise Åserud / NTB Source: – A bit of a wrong way to go When news asks the alpinist about his thoughts on possible races in Saudi Arabia and in an indoor hall in Dubai, he replies: – Indoors in Dubai, I don’t have much to comment on, that let him stand for. I have no relationship with Saudi Arabia, so I don’t know. The fact that he wants to spread the sport is wise, but it must be done in a way that preserves the flow that has made the sport what it is today, says Kilde. NORWAY’S SKI HALL: SNOW at Lørenskog is an example of an indoor ski hall. Photo: KARIM SAHIB / AFP He grins at the power salve for Yule. – There are always two sides to an issue. One must give a certain understanding for a desire for change, but I can agree that one should put a question mark on the way it is done. He only wants the best for the sport, to make it more visible and bring in more money. He may have gone a little too hard, and it has consequences that cost more than desired, says the 30-year-old and continues: – The program this year has been very back and forth, with two trips to the USA, and it is a bit of a wrong path to walk. Daniel Yule has to stand for that statement. What the calendar for next season’s World Cup will actually look like will probably be made clear late in the spring.
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