The Worldwide Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) has revealed its new rule guide for the 24/25 World Cup season and has included a ‘wildcard’ possibility for retired athletes. In its newest model from July 29, 2024, FIS included the shock entry possibility for retired champion skiers. A wildcard is an entry for a competitor to a event that they’d not qualify for underneath the prevailing qualification standards. Wildcards are, for instance, identified in tennis, the place athletes can enter the Wimbledon Match or Australian Open by way of this exemption.
Below the definitions acknowledged within the FIS rule guide, a retired athlete can win a wildcard slot supplied she or he has gained a FIS World Cup Total season title or an Olympic Gold Medal or World Championship Gold Medal. Alternatively, winners of a World Cup occasion season title, corresponding to Downhill, Tremendous-G, Big Slalom, or Slalom, additionally qualify, supplied they’ve gained a minimal of 5 World Cups. The athlete who requests a wildcard should be retired from the FIS World Cup for no less than two and a most of ten years.
The addition of a wildcard entry will allow a number of retired skiers to stage a comeback however will most straight profit Dutch-Austrian skier Marcel Hirscher, who introduced his comeback earlier this 12 months. Hirscher will acquire a direct entry to the 24/25 World Cup season via the wildcard with out having to qualify by way of the Australian and New Zealand Cup (ANC) and FIS Open races. Nonetheless, Hirscher continues to be planning to fly to New Zealand for coaching and competitions in August.
The athlete confirmed his resolution to stay to his plan with the Austrian Press Company (APA), stating, “It’s a good suggestion that the FIS now apparently desires to introduce a wildcard system as a result of this has additionally confirmed itself in different sports activities.So far as my plans are involved, the announcement doesn’t change something in the meanwhile: I’ll fly to New Zealand on August 9, and I hope for good check and coaching circumstances there. I might additionally wish to take part in a single or the opposite FIS race in Coronet Peak. Then I’ll see the place I’m at after 5 years away from the game”.
Will probably be attention-grabbing to see how Hirscher will fare on the first FIS competitions of the season in Coronet Peak, New Zealand. Coronet Peak will host 4 FIS Slalom and Big Slalom occasions from August 15-19 and one other 4 FIS Slalom and Big Slalom occasions from August 27-31.
The wildcard possibility could possibly be a possible draw card for different retired athletes to come back out of retirement. The wildcard possibility is nevertheless solely engaging for nations with out a big pool of younger athletes, because the wildcard is included inside a nation’s present quota for beginning spots.
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