Berchtesgaden (pps) TV presentation has been almost doubled, record TV ratings in Germany, Italy and Austria, the most important sponsorship contracts have been extended until 2008, the level of the Viessmann World Cup and Suzuki Challenge Cup competitions has consistently improved and the great success at the Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy: The headlines of the International Luge Federation, FIL, in the recent past document a real success story one year prior to the 50th anniversary of the Federation in 2007.

The year before the anniversary Congress in Innsbruck, Austria, elections to the Executive Committee and a few rule changes are on the agenda of the 54th annual meeting of FIL at Berchtesgaden, Germany, on June 29-30. The FIL Executive Committee with President Josef Fendt, Germany, Secretary General Svein Romstad, USA, and the Vice President for Financial Affairs Harald Steyrer, Austria, stands for re-election. “We want to continue the successful work of the past years. Together we have implemented the modernisation of the sport of luge in the recent past, but has not yet been concluded”, Fendt said.

Fendt was appointed to the „Sports and Environment“ Commission of the International Olympic Committee, IOC, last April. Thus FIL is represented in an IOC Committee for the first time. Fendt: “The appointment also shows that FIL is an integral part of the Olympic Family.” Fendt is not worried about the current checking for the Olympic suitability of the winter sports by the IOC. “The programme of the Winter Games is not as extensive as that of the Summer Games. I think there won’t be any quick decisions to reduce the programme.”

FIL’s only drop of bitterness is that luge on natural tracks has not been included in the Olympic Programme. The IOC will decide about the inclusion of the team event this autumn. A positive decision would be a further successful headline for the 50th anniversary of FIL in 2007.