What is the highest international governing body for skiing and snowboarding?

The International Ski and Snowboard Federation is the highest international governing body for skiing and snowboarding.

The organization was founded in 1924 as the Fédération Internationale de Ski, commonly abbreviated FIS. In 2022, it changed its English name to the International Ski and Snowboard Federation while retaining the FIS abbreviation. Its responsibilities include setting competition rules, coordinating calendars, and overseeing world championships and World Cup circuits.

FIS governs a wide range of disciplines, including alpine skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, Nordic combined, freestyle skiing, and snowboarding. It also maintains rankings and works with national federations to organize international competitions.

The organization is not the same as the International Olympic Committee. The IOC runs the Olympic movement, while FIS acts as the sport federation responsible for technical rules and international competition structures in these snow sports. This distinction is a common source of confusion.