FIS and Virtus sign landmark Memorandum of Understanding to advance inclusion in winter sports

Jul 02, 2025 – The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) and Virtus, the International Federation for athletes with intellectual impairment, have officially signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen their collaboration and promote greater inclusion in winter sports. 

Effective from June 25, the MoU marks a significant step toward integrating athletes with intellectual impairments into Alpine and Cross-Country skiing disciplines at the highest levels of competition, including the Paralympic Winter Games. 

Through this agreement, FIS and Virtus commit to a closer technical partnership, focusing on: 

• Supporting the inclusion of athletes with intellectual impairments in the Paralympic Winter Games, potentially as early as 2030. 

• Promoting Virtus within the FIS community and among its member federations. 

• Enhancing technical support for Virtus-endorsed events, including the use of FIS-homologated courses and FIS Technical Delegates. 

• Collaborating on timing, data management, and the development of international competition rules. 

• Assisting Virtus in finalizing a robust sports classification system for athletes with intellectual impairments. 

To facilitate this cooperation, a joint Virtus–FIS Working Group will be established, serving as a technical liaison and reporting to the FIS Para Snow Sports Committee. 

“We are truly delighted with this positive step to sign an MoU between Virtus and FIS, signaling further collaboration between our two organizations and a pathway for athletes with an intellectual impairment into FIS events and the Winter Paralympics,” said Barry Holman, Secretary General of Virtus. 

This partnership underscores a shared commitment to inclusivity, excellence, and the continued evolution of winter sports on the global stage, as FIS President, Johan Eliasch, highlighted:

This Memorandum of Understanding marks an important step in our ongoing commitment to inclusion and accessibility in snow sports. By working together with Virtus, we are proud to support the development of new pathways for athletes with intellectual impairments, helping to ensure that talent and passion for winter sport can thrive at all levels.

Johan Eliasch, FIS President