FIL President Fendt: “We are a luge family in the truest sense of the word”
Berchtesgaden (pps) The President of the International Luge Federation (FIL), Josef Fendt of Berchtesgaden (photo), emphasized the advantages of the FIL Development Program. “We support two so-called FIL groups, one in the World Cup series and one for young luge talents. It gives a luge platform to national federations who do not have their own artificially iced tracks. Our sponsorship program, where the big luge nations back up the ‘small’ ones, is another pillar of this program,” Fendt described the system in an interview with FIL press. Fendt added: “Solidarity and helpfulness among the member federations is really very pronounced. We are a luge family in the truest sense of the word.”
Funds for the FIL Development Program amount to about 600,000 Euros (equivalent to about 780,000 USD) per year. Additionally, the FIL will offer prize money of 30,000 Euros (equivalent of 39,000 USD) at the 44th FIL Luge World Championships in Whistler, Canada, as Fendt disclosed in the interview.
Fendt hopes that the extensive changes of the statutes that were passed at the FIL Congress in Riga will further “increase the professionalism of the operational Committees, Sports and Technical Matters”. This will certainly enhance the power of the FIL. “With the changes of the International Luge Regulations (IRO) especially with regard to technical issues, we hope to make the sport of luge affordable for all national federations. Additionally, we hope it will guarantee a certain level of equal opportunities for all.”
