Israeli Representative to the FIS dies
Longtime FIS representative from Israel Joseph Meiner succumbed to a 10-year battle with cancer on June 30. A very good friend of the United States, Meiner served on the PR and Mass Media committee and was a conference member on the World Cup Committee.
Meiner’s most important contribution came on behalf of smaller nations involved with the FIS. He was a key member of the SES Nations Organization, a body of small emerging ski nations within FIS. His most important aim was the continuous development of ski sport in the developing nations and strengthening of their status within the organization.
“Meiner was a real friend of Vail and Beaver Creek,” said Gary Black Jr., a member of the PR and Mass Media committee and Managing Partner of Ski Racing International, llc. “Prior to the election of Vail-Beaver Creek for the 2015 Alpine World Championships, Meiner worked very hard to secure certain council votes, which were wavering. He knew how and when to be persuasive — when it counted.”
He also was a founding member of the FIS Aid&Promotion Working Group, a Conference Member of the subcommittee for Alpine World Cups (1996-present). Among other projects, Meiner was influential in gaining small nations training time and space at both World Championship and Olympic sites.