69th FIL Congress in Salzburg to kick off the Olympic season

Salzburg (FIL) Delegates from 25 nations had travelled to the Mozart city of Salzburg for the 69th FIL Congress on September 24 and 25, 2021, under the constraints of the 3G rule and the legal regulations in Austria.

In the current reports of FIL President Einars Fogelis, Secretary General Dwight Bell and Vice President for Finance Harald Steyrer, the biggest challenge of the past season, the COVID-19 pandemic and the safeguarding of the sport under special conditions, came up again and again. 
Einars Fogelis said: "The new situation forces us to rebalance our priorities as we strive towards our main goal - a strong sport and a strong federation in the Olympic Movement! However, the number one priority for the coming Olympic season remains the safety and health of athletes and coaches".

The National Federation of Ireland, which was previously a provisional member of the FIL family, was accepted as a full member upon application. The motion was unanimously accepted by the delegates of the 69th Congress. Thus, 51 nations are members of the International Luge Federation, FIL.

There have already been separate articles here on FIL-Luge.org on the honouring of deserving officials during the FIL Congress, the application with the discipline women's doubles as a new Olympic discipline for Milano-Cortina 2026 and the awarding of FIL Championships.

At the request of NABSF President Eirik Lundemo from Norway, the topic of gender equality and its equal distribution was handed over to the working group on the topic for inclusion in the FIL Statutes for the 2022 Congress. Eirik Lundemo said: "We want to move the discussion forward in this important area”. 

In a video presentation, the Beijing 2022 Organising Committee informed the delegates of the state of preparations for the XXIV Olympic Winter Games starting on 4 February 2022.All leaders of working groups for the realisation of the FIL strategy concept "SLIDE 2026" presented their current work and interim results on the way to the Olympic year 2026.

In summer 2022, the 70th FIL Congress will take place in Riga (Latvia). This has already been decided at the Online Congress 2020. At the 69th Congress on September 25, 2021 in Salzburg, the sports capital of Ukraine, Lviv, was voted as the venue for the 71st FIL Congress in the summer of 2023.

IOC President Dr. Thomas Bach had virtually awarded FIL Honorary President Josef Fendt with the Olympic Order in a very personal and moving video message at the FIL Online Congress in November 2020. 
On Saturday, 25 September 2021, the festive evening to bid farewell to Josef Fendt, after 35 years in FIL leadership, could finally be made up at Jenner Mountain in bavarian Königssee. AIOWF President and IOC member Ivo Ferriani (President IBSF - International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation) officially presented the Olympic Order on behalf of the IOC.