The 65th FIL Congress in Constanţa, Romania, brought a positive review by the President, an emotional ceremony for the 60th anniversary and the successful election of the first Ethics Officer for the International Luge Federation (FIL). However, the most valuable insight for the international association and its delegates from 35 countries to take home was the vote of confidence offered by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
“The FIL can always rely on the IOC. We are always at your side,” said Winter Sports Director Irina Gladkikh in her welcome message at the 60th birthday of the “Fédération de Luge de Course”, which was founded in 1957 in Davos (SUI) by delegates from 13 countries.
Before the IOC representative, President Josef Fendt gave his organization a glowing testimony in terms of its innovations, finances and reputation. “The FIL is expanding,” said the two-time World Champion. The Olympic silver medallist from 1976 referred to the inclusion of the team relay in the Winter Olympics program, its solid financial situation and the broad recognition it receives in the media.
Fendt was elected in June 1994 to succeed founding President Bert Isatitsch, who had passed away in February that year. He was joined by Romanian Sports Minister Marius-Alexandru Dunca
and the President of the Romanian National Olympic Committee Mihai Covaliu in welcoming high profile representatives from the host country to the ceremony. The event concluded with a multimedia presentation about the highlights of the FIL’s history which was compiled by Herbert Wurzer (AUT).
During the Congress, in which Norbert Hiedl (GER) was elected first Ethics Officer, Fendt’s speech reflected overwhelmingly positively on the 2016/2017 season. “Our targeted funding schemes have helped to stabilize the quantity and quality of participants in our FIL events at a high level,” Fendt told delegates at the 65th FIL Congress in Constanţa, Romania.
Fendt also went on to inform the attendees from 35 nations: “Athletes from 36 nations competed in our sport last season, with 33 nations from four continents taking part in a total of 29 official FIL events.” The largest numbers of participants were recorded at the World Championships in Innsbruck (27 nations) and at the World Cup in PyeongChang (30 nations).
The FIL’s total budget is approximately 6.5 million euros ($7.2 million USD). “To date, we have always achieved a healthy financial base through sound financial management,” said Fendt. “So it
fits perfectly that our main and title sponsor Viessmann and Eberspächer, two important pillars of the World Cup, have extended their contracts long-term to 2022.”
No doping case in the 2016/2017
There were no cases of doping in luge during the 2016/2017 winter season. “We can call ourselves a clean Olympic sport,” announced the President of the International Luge Federation (FIL) Josef Fendt from Germany, in his report.
Svein Romstad to not stand for Sec-Gen in 2018
The Secretary General of the International Luge Federation (FIL), Svein Romstad from the USA, has announced his resignation. In his report at the 65th FIL Congress in 2017 in Constanţa, Romania, Romstad said that he will not stand as a candidate at the elections in the coming year. The 66th FIL Congress will take place in Bratislava in 2018.
Svein Romstad was elected as General Secretary in June 1994 at the FIL Congress in Rome (ITA), the same year as Josef Fendt (GER) succeeded the late founding President Bert Isatitsch. Under Romstad’s careful management, the FIL introduced one of the greatest reforms in its history: for example, the executive was reduced from 15 to 11 members.
Norbert Hiedl to be first Ethics Officer
Norbert Hiedl has been named as the first Ethics Officer of the International Luge Federation (FIL). The 68-year-old lawyer from Waltrop in Germany was elected at the 65th Congress of the International Luge Federation (FIL) in Constanța, Romania.
This election became necessary following the introduction of the Ethics Code at the 2016 Congress in Lake Placid, New York. The FIL Ethics Code defines values and establishes principles that govern conduct and actions, both within the international federation and towards external parties.
Ben Heijmeijer to Chair the Court of Arbitration
Dutchman Ben Heijmeijer is the new Chair of the Court of Arbitration of the International Luge Federation (FIL). At the 65th FIL Congress in Constanţa, Romania, the former natural track luger was elected as the successor to Norbert Hiedl (GER), who was simultaneously elected as the first FIL Ethics Officer. The delegates elected Russian Gennadi Rodionov (RUS) as a member of the Court of Arbitration.
Christian Krähe (GER) was elected unanimously as Chair of the Committee for Legal Affairs, alongside members Dr Andreas Ruetz (AUT) and Alexander Schakhnazarov from Russia.
Ljubljana to host 67th FIL Congress in 2019
Slovenia, with its capital Ljubljana, has successfully applied to host the 67th Congress of the International Luge Federation (FIL). Allocation of the 2019 event was announced at the 65th FIL Congress in Constanţa, Romania. The election congress for the coming year had already been awarded last year to Bratislava in Slovakia. The annual conference of the international association
is set to take place on June 15-16, 2018.
Portugal join as an official FIL member
The national association of Portugal has become an official member of the International Luge Federation (FIL). The corresponding application was unanimously accepted at the 65th FIL Congress in Constanţa, Romania.
Hugo Daniel Martins Alves is the nation’s first luger. After celebrating his 36th birthday on February 13, 2017, the athlete from the land of the European football champions took part in training for the Viessmann World Cup on the upcoming Olympic track in PyeongChang, Korea, on February 18-19, but had to miss
the start due to injury.