Industry News
The International Ski & Snowboard Federation ‘FIS’ is cracking down on the use of Red Bull sponsored helmets by skiers and boarders. While the actual Red Bull logo on the helmet complies with the 50-square-centimeter (7.75 square inches) rule stipulated by FIS, the signature blue and silver color of the helmet, resembling the color of the Red Bull cans, should according to FIS be counted into the area calculations. This would render the Red Bull helmet in breach of the FIS regulations.
This decision would impact several international skiers and snowboarders, such as Austria’s snowboarder Anna Gasser, Switzerland’s skier Marco Odermatt and Australia’s snowboarder Valentino Guseli. Swiss ski racer Marco Odermatt has been sponsored by Red Bull since 2021 and has proudly been skiing with the blue and silver helmet since the 21/22 season. Odermatt reportedly received a letter by FIS informing him that his helmet would no longer be suitable for FIS competitions.
Van Deer recently resolved their issues with FIS around their use of the Red Bull logo on their skis by replacing the red bovine from the skis with the word “Racing” in the shape of the bull. The issue surrounding the skis was however a slightly different one, as Red Bull was not a sponsor in this case but co-owner of the ski’s brands.
The decision by FIS to crack down on the use of Red Bull’s beverage colors could have a big impact for the Austrian Ski Federation ‘ÖSV’ which not only provides sponsoring to several of their athletes but to the federation itself. Red Bull is also the sponsor of several events. The Swiss Ski Association also expressed their concerns that the crack down could negatively impact athletes and the sport as a whole as sponsorships are vital for financing snowsports.
The FIS is ridiculous and needs to up to date on corporate sponsorships.