Overview
- DSV sport director Horst Hüttel called the situation “dramatic” on Monday and said two of about seven junior boarding schools have been told state support will effectively end on 1 January 2027.
- Hüttel warned that a planned cut to a federally financed coaching position could have devastating effects on training and athlete retention.
- He said younger athletes are already considering switching to ski jumping because of the funding threat and the resulting loss of local training options.
- Hüttel accused outgoing FIS president Johan Eliasch of having damaged the discipline and said hopes now rest on new FIS president Alexander Ospelt to press for better advocacy and presentation.
- Stakeholders say the World Cup season that begins in Finland at the end of November 2026 will be an early visibility test that could affect arguments for restoring Nordic combined to the Olympic program in 2034 and the sport’s longer-term funding prospects.