Berchtesgaden: The International Luge Federation (FIL) has decided on a supporting programme for its member federations for the season 2002 / 2003 which includes basically the following 5 points:
A free training programme and travelling support for athletes, a coaching offer which has also been extended to natural track luge for the member federations, the use of additional transport vehicles for athletes and sleds during the international races, as well as a special technical service offered during competitions.
According to FIL President Josef Fendt, these measures are intended to facilitate especially the work for smaller luge federations and altogether to contribute to an increased level of performance in professional top performance luge.

Improved training opportunities shall permit an optimal season preparation

The International Luge Federation (FIL) will considerably increase the number of so-called “training run vouchers” for national luge federations. Thus the active athletes will again be enabled to practice free of charge on all luge tracks world-wide also in the forthcoming season. Fees resulting from this measure will be paid by the FIL, and the operators of luge tracks have also promised their support for this training programme.
In the Olympic season, the World Federation made 7420 of these “training run vouchers” available altogether, and in the forthcoming winter season of 2002 / 2003 this number will be increased to approximately 8800. This is intended to help mainly small and financially weaker federations to provide better training opportunities for their athletes.
Additionally, the FIL will grant financial subsidies for travelling expenses also in the forthcoming season, sponsoring especially stays of young talented athletes and top performance athletes overseas.
To make luge still more popular and to win further national federations for the participation in competitions, a special development manager has been appointed this winter not only for artificial track but also for natural track luge. The FIL was able to win the Italian Dr. Martin Gruber, an experienced former top performance athlete, for this task. Gruber will be supported and assisted by FIL-trainer Karl Flacher from Austria.
There will also be a new appointment concerning the position for artificial track luge. Here the Romanian trainer Ioan Apostol replaces the previous development manager Günther Lemmerer.

Another change in personnel: Karl-Heinz Anschütz, hitherto technical delegate of the FIL, has been appointed as new sports coordinator for artificial track luge for the forthcoming Olympic cycle until 2006. He will represent the World Federation at the luge competitions in all matters concerning television and marketing.

More and better service shall improve competition conditions for lugers

In the new season, FIL will altogether provide 8 small buses for national federations which have no transport facilities for athletes and sleds at their disposal. The aim of this action is to ensure a smoother and less stressful course of races for athletes and organizers.
Moreover, the World Federation will financially support further financially weak member federations to enable them to rent the necessary transport vehicles.
During the Artificial Track World Cups in Europe and during the World Championships in Sigulda (Latvia), the FIL wil offer for the first time a special technical service which is intended to support and assist especially the smaller nations.
Hans Rinn, one of the most successful lugers of all times and luge expert, will be present at the race tracks with a specifically equipped service vehicle, assisting and offering advice to the participating athletes concerning the maintenance of their sleds and equipment. This service is intended to benefit those teams which do not have a technical support organization at their disposal.
According to FIL President Josef Fendt, this extended package of measures is designed to carry the momentum of the Olympic winter into the new season and, combined with top performance achievements and even more attractive competitions, to further increase the popularity of the luge sport.


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