US Ski & Snowboard continues to ban fluorinated ski waxes for 2020-21

Fri, Oct  30, 2020 - By US Ski Team

Despite the International Ski Federations' (FIS) delay of implementing its fluorinated ski wax ban to the 2021-22 season, U.S. Ski & Snowboard will continue to ban the use of fluorinated ski wax from all non-FIS sanctioned events in the United States for the upcoming 2020-21 ski and snowboard season.

In addition, random testing may be implemented at select U.S. Ski & Snowboard events to gather information to improve the tracking, measuring, and implementation process. Testing results may be published and sanctions may be applied for positive test results.

“Moving forward with banning fluorocarbon is the smart thing to do, not only will we avoid the inevitable, but this will continue to level the playing field and move us in the right direction from an environmental perspective,” said U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Tiger Shaw.

In 2019, the International Ski Federation (FIS) and International Biathlon Union (IBU) decided that the use of fluorinated ski wax will be banned for all FIS and IBU disciplines. The ban was to take effect for the upcoming season. However, over the past couple of months, FIS determined that further laboratory and field testing to finalize testing protocols and allow for the production of additional testing devices for purchase by stakeholders was needed to enable implementation of the ban at all levels of FIS competition.

U.S. Ski & Snowboard voted to eliminate the use of fluorinated ski wax from all levels of competition at its May 2020 meeting.