New FIS Rules

Nor-Am downhill and super-G racers must prepare for the 2026-27 airbag requirement. Find Dainese and In&motion ordering contacts, maintenance guidance, speed race dates and the separate cut-resistant pants rule.

Cut-resistant pants are now mandatory at every FIS Alpine event. VIX founder Victor Wiacek explains the three-star rule, required coverage and what families need to check before the first race.

The FIS Council, meeting in Zurich this week, approved a new eligibility policy for men’s and women’s competitions while emphasizing athlete safety and continued discussions on prize money. The policy, based on the presence or absence of the SRY gene, restricts women’s competition to SRY-negative athletes. Council members also reaffirmed that protecting athlete welfare is their top priority and will revisit prize money decisions at their October meeting.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard and FIS have announced key alpine ski racing rule changes for 2025–26. While not all updates apply to every athlete, they include changes to FIS start eligibility, competition formats, equipment rules, and official requirements. U18 athletes will no longer face a FIS start maximum, live timing will be restricted at U14 and younger races, and FIS will update point calculations and enforce cut-resistant gear requirements. Learn the details.