Kelly Brush Foundation Calls on FIS to Strengthen Safety Measures Following the Death of Italian Skier Matteo Franzoso
BURLINGTON, Vt., Sept. 25, 2025 — The Kelly Brush Foundation (KBF) is urging the International Ski Federation (FIS) to adopt additional athlete safety measures following the tragic death of Italian World Cup skier Matteo Franzoso in a training crash in La Parva, Chile.
In a letter sent this week, the foundation called for immediate improvements to reduce the risk of similar accidents. KBF also offered its expertise and resources to support FIS in making these changes without delay.
Two Decades of Safety Advocacy
Kelly Brush founded the KBF after a 2006 FIS-sanctioned NCAA race, when she sustained a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed from the chest down. For nearly 20 years, the foundation has reshaped ski racing’s approach to safety in the United States.
KBF has trained hundreds of coaches and volunteers, distributed toolkits of best practices, and helped clubs purchase more than 100 miles of safety netting—totaling over $1 million in improvements at more than 200 venues.
Through these efforts, safety has become a priority rather than an afterthought in American ski racing. Now, KBF believes it is time for that same cultural shift to extend across the global ski racing community.
Key Proposals to FIS
In its letter to FIS, KBF suggested establishing an international safety audit committee and pledged to share resources that have already proven effective in the United States. These include:
- Prioritizing educational safety initiatives, workshops, and resources for coaches, athletes, and officials
- Extending safety best practices beyond race venues to training sites, where athletes spend most of their time
Experts Available to Assist
The foundation emphasized that it has experts ready to collaborate with FIS and national associations worldwide:
- Paul Van Slyke — Alpine Competition and Safety Consultant, FIS Technical Delegate, and one of the world’s leading ski racing safety experts.
- Kelly Brush — Founder of the Kelly Brush Foundation, former NCAA racer, and advocate for athlete safety since her 2006 accident.
- Board of Directors — A diverse team of leaders in sport, medicine, and safety, who have driven systemic improvements in ski racing across the U.S.
Expert Voices
Kelly Brush said her accident shaped her life’s mission:
“I know firsthand how devastating a lack of safety measures can be. That’s why the Kelly Brush Foundation has spent nearly two decades making ski racing safer in the United States. Now, it’s time to bring that same urgency to the international level.”
Paul Van Slyke, one of the leading global authorities on ski racing safety, underscored the importance of expanding protections to training environments:
“Athletes spend most of their time training, not racing. If we only protect them on race day, we miss the bigger picture. FIS has a real opportunity to lead with training venue safety as a priority.”
Tiger Shaw, former CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard and current KBF board member, stressed that the blueprint already exists:
“FIS can lead these efforts in a meaningful way. We in the U.S. have embraced Kelly and the KBF’s leadership and successfully changed how we think about and implement safety at home. This should be a global standard.”
The Kelly Brush Foundation Letter to FIS
The following is the full letter sent to FIS on Sept. 23, 2025:
Dear Mr. Eliasch and FIS Council Members,
We are deeply saddened by the tragic events in La Parva, Chile last week. Our hearts go out to Matteo Franzoso’s family, teammates, coaches and the entire ski racing community.
At the Kelly Brush Foundation (KBF), we are acutely aware of the possibility of tragic outcomes from ski racing accidents and believe that most tragedies are preventable with the right measures in place. We have devoted the last 20 years to advocating for increased safety awareness, education, and implementation across the United States at every level of the sport. Through this grassroots work, the KBF has changed the culture of ski racing safety in the US, making it a priority, not an afterthought.
And despite all of our work, our sport continues to be plagued by injuries and, too often, tragedy. While we recognize the steps the International Ski Federation (FIS) is taking to improve athlete safety, more immediate action is needed, and we would like to help. We suggest that FIS thoroughly evaluate and audit the current training practices, procedures, and safety standards by establishing an audit committee before the upcoming ski season. This committee would examine current practices and prioritize educational initiatives, such as workshops and resources for coaches, athletes, and officials, to promote a culture of safety awareness.
Importantly, protections and homologation procedures should extend beyond race courses to training venues, where athletes spend the majority of their time, ensuring comprehensive safety across all environments.
The KBF has a long history of working with and supporting the ski racing community to ensure the safety of athletes. We have created a toolkit of safety resources that is used by coaches and race officials across the United States and offer those resources publicly on our website. Additionally, we offer the advisory services of our Alpine Competition and Safety Consultant, Paul Van Slyke, one of the world’s leading safety experts and FIS Technical Delegate. This moment calls for a movement on a global scale. We look forward to collaborating with FIS to model the safety improvements that we have catalyzed in US ski racing over the past 20 years and help create training and racing environments that prioritize safety above all else.
The Kelly Brush Foundation has been a driving force of US Alpine ski racing safety innovation, education and implementation across all levels of the sport from the ground up. FIS now has the opportunity to take decisive action and continue to lead with the authority and resources that only the international federation can provide.
“FIS can lead these efforts in a meaningful way,” said Tiger Shaw, former CEO of US Ski & Snowboard and current Kelly Brush Foundation board member. “We in the US have embraced Kelly and the KBF’s leadership and successfully changed how we think about and implement safety at home. This should be a global standard.”
As the season begins, this is an urgent call to action. The KBF is committed to ski racing safety and can assist. In light of recent events, we are asking FIS and all national ski associations, officials, coaches, volunteers, and athletes to come together and demonstrate that same commitment.
Sincerely,
Kelly Brush | Founder of the Kelly Brush Foundation
&
Board of Directors | Kelly Brush Foundation
Call for Global Leadership
The foundation stressed that FIS has the authority and resources to set a new global safety standard. The tragic loss of Franzoso underscores the urgency, but KBF believes it also offers an opportunity to transform the sport.
About the Kelly Brush Foundation
Kelly Brush founded the organization after her 2006 crash, when she struck an unprotected lift tower in a collegiate race and suffered a spinal cord injury that left her paralyzed from the chest down. Since then, the foundation has advanced athlete safety by driving education, delivering training, and funding critical equipment.
Its programs have supported coaches, volunteers, and ski clubs nationwide, driving a lasting cultural change in how Alpine ski racing approaches safety.
Press Contact:
Andrew Bernstein
Andrew.bernstein@kellybrushfoundation.org
610.618.6272
About the Author: Press Release
