Claude-Alain Schmidhalter temporarily suspended from his duties

The Executive Committee of the World Championships will be led on an interim basis by Vice-President Sébastien Rey, representative of the Association of the Municipalities of Crans-Montana on the committee, together with Diego Züger, member of the Executive Committee and Co-CEO of Swiss-Ski.

This decision follows the indictment of Claude-Alain Schmidhalter by the Public Prosecutor’s Office of the Canton of Valais. The ongoing criminal proceedings relate exclusively to Claude-Alain Schmidhalter’s business activities. They have no connection with his duties within the Swiss-Ski Executive Board or his role as President of the Organising Committee of the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships Crans-Montana 2027. This temporary measure will remain in effect until the District Court of Brig delivers its judgement.

Claude-Alain Schmidhalter firmly denies the allegations against him and is confident ahead of the hearing scheduled for the end of October. The presumption of innocence remains fully applicable.

“In his capacity as Vice-President of Swiss-Ski and President of the Executive Committee of the World Championships, Claude-Alain has been doing outstanding and impeccable work for many years, for which we are extremely grateful,” say Peter Barandun, President of Swiss-Ski, and Sébastien Rey, Vice-President of the Crans-Montana 2027 Association. They add: “This measure is intended to safeguard the integrity and ability of both organisations to operate effectively.”