Fabien Saguez, who has been at the helm of the French Ski Federation since 2022, was re-elected for a further four-year term at the general meeting held on 19 June 2026 in Annecy. This re-election marks the start of a particularly strategic Olympic cycle, encompassing the consolidation of the federation’s model, the transformation of its governance, the protection of participants, and preparations for the 2030 Olympic and Paralympic Games in the French Alps.
Gathered in Annecy for the French Ski Federation’s (FFS) 2026 Congress, representatives of the federation reaffirmed their confidence in Fabien Saguez. The Haute-Savoie-based leader, who has been president of the FFS since June 2022, was re-elected on Friday 19 June for a second four-year term.
Held at the Federation’s headquarters, this general assembly marked an important milestone in the institutional development of French skiing. Before the vote, participants discussed, in particular, two issues that are now central to sports organisations: the role of digital technology in the sport and the running of clubs, as well as the prevention of violence in sport.
These two areas highlight the expanding scope of a sports federation’s responsibilities. Beyond managing competitions and the French national teams, the FFS must now respond to the social, technological and ethical changes affecting the entire sports movement.
An election organised under a new federal governance framework
The Annecy Congress also marked the implementation of a major change to the governance of the French Ski Federation. For the first time, all affiliated clubs were directly involved in federal votes and elections.
Each club was allocated a set number of votes based on its membership numbers. An electronic voting system also enabled members to cast their votes both from Annecy and remotely.
Stemming from the reform of federal governance adopted in 2024, this new organisational structure aims to bring decision-making centres closer to the grassroots of the sports movement. It strengthens the role of clubs, which form the first tier of training, competitive sport, voluntary coaching and the promotion of snow sports culture.
In an environment where sports clubs must cope with the turnover of volunteers, changing expectations amongst members and competition from more flexible activities, their direct representation is not only a democratic issue but also a strategic one for the Federation.
A new steering committee for the next Olympic cycle
The general meeting also elected the new executive committee of the French Ski Federation.
This body brings together representatives from the various mountain ranges, professional organisations and the main components of the federal movement:
Marie Accambray, Bertrand Bedel, Paule Bonnaffoux Garcia, Philippe Cuier, Alizée Debout, Stéphane Deloche, Philippe Deporte, Luciana Disetti, Elisabeth Drezet, Jean-Marie Fayard, Christian Frison Roche, Yannick Garin, Audrey Goulesque, Anne-Chantal Grévy-Pigelet, Valérie Lagier, Anne Marty, Jean-Christophe Nolier, Patrice Raynaud, Marion Rocher, Fabien Saguez, Thierry Schoenauer, Estelle Schutz Kozlik and Guillaume Wassmer.
The composition of this new body reflects the diversity of French skiing. It brings together the regional committees of Mont Blanc, Savoie, Dauphiné, the Pyrenees, the Jura, the Vosges, Auvergne, Burgundy and the Southern Alps, as well as the National Union of French Ski Instructors, Domaines Skiables de France, federal officials, medical staff and volunteer supervisors.
Following the vote, Fabien Saguez, the lead candidate and representative of the Mont Blanc Committee, was re-elected as President of the Federation for the period 2026–2030.
Fabien Saguez, a coach who went on to become a leader in French skiing
Born in 1970 in Geneva and with deep ties to the Mont Blanc region, Fabien Saguez stands out as a rather unique figure among French sports leaders. Before taking up the Federation’s most senior administrative posts, he spent the bulk of his career on the ground, working closely with athletes and technical teams.
As a former coach of the French women’s alpine skiing team for seven years, he has first-hand experience of the demands of high-performance sport: preparing athletes, putting together support staff, managing international schedules, providing medical and scientific support, and striking a balance between the pressure to achieve results and the need to protect athletes.
In 2006, he was appointed national technical director of the French Ski Federation. He held this post for sixteen years, until his election as president in 2022.
In this role, he is responsible for the sports policy of a particularly wide-ranging federation, whose remit covers everything from alpine skiing to cross-country skiing, biathlon, snowboarding, freestyle, ski jumping, Nordic combined, telemark skiing, speed skiing and ski mountaineering.
This extensive experience has given him an in-depth understanding of the entire national ski programme, from talent identification in clubs through to international podiums, including training centres, ski committees and the French national teams.
His election as president of the FFS on 4 June 2022 had already marked the transition from a primarily technical role to one of political and institutional responsibility. He had secured 613 votes out of 647 at the congress held in Dijon.
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A first term marked by stabilisation
Fabien Saguez’s first term of office began against a rather unusual backdrop. The Federation needed to restore stability following a turbulent period of leadership, whilst preparing for several major international events.
Over the past four years, the FFS has continued its work on developing the sport’s organisational structure and supporting its French national teams. It has also had to address issues that go beyond the realm of sporting performance alone: combating violence, protecting athletes’ physical and psychological well-being, changing practices, environmental transition and the economic transformation of the winter sports model.
The issue of violence in sport will inevitably feature prominently during the new term of office. The decision to make this one of the central themes of the first day of the 2026 Congress reflects the commitment to making the prevention, reporting and handling of inappropriate behaviour institutional priorities.
This development requires strengthening internal procedures, training for managers, listening to victims, and enhancing the Federation’s ability to respond swiftly when a report is brought to its attention.
A reputation that is now recognised on the Olympic and international stage
Fabien Saguez has gradually expanded his sphere of influence beyond the French Ski Federation.
In 2024, he was elected a member of the Council of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, one of the main decision-making bodies of the FIS. This role enables France to participate directly in international discussions concerning the organisation of competitions, the governance of disciplines, the development of snow sports, commercial rights and changes to the competition calendars.
He also sits on the Executive Committee of the International Biathlon Union. His involvement in these bodies reflects the strategic importance of French representation in a global sporting landscape characterised by the concentration of rights, changing competition formats and the need to adapt sports to climate and economic changes.
Fabien Saguez has also been appointed head of mission for the French delegation at the 2026 Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics. This role, which extends beyond the realm of skiing alone, has placed him at the centre of coordination for the entire French Winter Olympic team.
His technical expertise, his knowledge of the Games and his experience of managing top-level teams proved to be major assets in what was a particularly complex edition from a logistical point of view, given that the competition venues were spread across several Italian regions.
The French Alps 2030: the focus
Fabien Saguez’s new term of office will see him lead the French Ski Federation straight through to the 2030 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games in the French Alps.
This event represents a major sporting opportunity, but it also involves the FFS in much broader challenges. The Federation will need to prepare athletes likely to perform well on home soil, develop pathways for the next generation, and collaborate with the organising committees, local authorities, resorts and other relevant federations.
Another key challenge will be to make the 2030 Games a catalyst for sustainable development in snow and mountain sports. Success cannot be measured solely by the number of medals won. It will also depend on the ability to strengthen clubs, attract new participants, recruit new volunteers and pass on a sporting legacy to local communities.
Fabien Saguez has, in fact, identified access to snow sports, the development of grassroots facilities, the modernisation of governance, inclusion, gender equality and environmental responsibility as among the priorities he intends to champion at international level.
Maintaining performance whilst expanding the sport’s reach
The French Ski Federation has national teams capable of competing at the very highest level in several disciplines, including biathlon, alpine skiing, ski cross, snowboard cross and certain Nordic events.
However, sustaining this level of performance depends on a fragile ecosystem. International results are directly linked to the vitality of the clubs, the quality of coaching, access to facilities and families’ ability to fund their children’s sporting activities.
Over the course of the next Olympic cycle, the FFS will therefore need to balance two objectives: maintaining French sporting excellence and broadening the base of participants.
The rising cost of accommodation, equipment, travel and licences can act as a barrier to both taking up the sport and practising it regularly. Added to this financial challenge is a shift in habits, with people seeking greater flexibility, less formalised activities and a more diverse range of mountain sports.
The role of clubs will therefore need to evolve without losing what makes them strong: a local presence, a culture of commitment, qualified coaching staff and the ability to support young people over the long term.
A mandate facing the challenges of change in mountain regions
Fabien Saguez’s re-election comes, after all, against a backdrop of profound change in mountain regions.
Climate change is altering training and competition conditions, making snow cover more variable and increasing the financial pressures on both clubs and organisers. These developments are forcing international and national federations to rethink their calendars, competition formats and the use of venues.
The environmental transition cannot, therefore, be regarded as a peripheral issue. It must be integrated into sports planning, transport organisation, event management and relations with host regions.
In addition to these climate-related challenges, there is the digital transformation of practices, changes in audiovisual broadcasting, the growing influence of social media, and the need to raise the profile of disciplines that sometimes receive less media coverage.
By reappointing Fabien Saguez, the clubs of the French Ski Federation have opted for continuity, but also for the experience of a leader who has worked at virtually every level of the sports organisation.
The period 2026–2030 is, however, likely to be less a mere extension of the first term of office than a decisive phase. With a focus on protecting participants, revitalising clubs, international performance, adapting to climate change and preparing for the French Alps Games, the Federation is entering an Olympic cycle that is likely to have a lasting impact on the place of snow sports within the French sporting landscape.
