The FIS held a congress in Dubrovnik this June. Not too many notable changes were agreed upon, but one sparked heated reactions afterwards, as it affects numerous top athletes.
According the decision made by FIS leadership; Gaming/Betting providers cannot sponsor individual athletes belonging to FIS, only events. The idea is clear; the leadership intends to keep the integrity of sport. The fact, however that these same companies can sponsor events hosted by the FIS is rather curious.
It is also problematic that the current decision does not make a distinction between online gambling sites; not only do they banish sports betting sites, but poker sites and casinos as well.
The biggest loser of this event is the Swedish professional ski runner, two-time Olympic Champion Marcus Hellner, who is a sponsored PokerStars pro, the representative for poker in Sweden, who stated:
"I think it sounds weird and distorted. It seems like they want to put you down, but at the same time earn their own money. But thi is FIS … There is much one can wonder when it comes to such decisions. What are they doing? It is well up to the individual with what chooses to be associated. I like to play poker, and choose to be associated with it, for that I will stand for. And I have no problem with it, it’s one of my interests."
The management of the popular ski runner is now working on some deal with the FIS so he can keep his sponsor.
Besides Hellner, many great athletes were also athletes, ski runner Emil Jönsson is a sponsored player of Unibet.
According the decision made by FIS leadership; Gaming/Betting providers cannot sponsor individual athletes belonging to FIS, only events. The idea is clear; the leadership intends to keep the integrity of sport. The fact, however that these same companies can sponsor events hosted by the FIS is rather curious.
It is also problematic that the current decision does not make a distinction between online gambling sites; not only do they banish sports betting sites, but poker sites and casinos as well.
The biggest loser of this event is the Swedish professional ski runner, two-time Olympic Champion Marcus Hellner, who is a sponsored PokerStars pro, the representative for poker in Sweden, who stated:
"I think it sounds weird and distorted. It seems like they want to put you down, but at the same time earn their own money. But thi is FIS … There is much one can wonder when it comes to such decisions. What are they doing? It is well up to the individual with what chooses to be associated. I like to play poker, and choose to be associated with it, for that I will stand for. And I have no problem with it, it’s one of my interests."
The management of the popular ski runner is now working on some deal with the FIS so he can keep his sponsor.
Besides Hellner, many great athletes were also athletes, ski runner Emil Jönsson is a sponsored player of Unibet.
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