The International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) announced last Thursday that the fluor wax ban had been delayed for another year. Teemu Lemmettylä, waxing manager for the Finnish Olympic team, says there were several issues with the testing and process.

The first challenge was related to defining what a fluorinated and non-fluorinated ski is. Second, the specification did not prevent the use of fluor, and third, the test gave false positive results for fluor-free waxes.

However, Lemmettylä does not rule out that creating a reliable test protocol is possible.

“As long as the test development is treated with sufficient seriousness and a good operating model and process. I would hope an international assessment group of waxing experts would be formed around it,” says Lemmettylä.

Although the FIS’s actions around the topic have received criticism, Lemmettylä gives a plus on how the FIS worked during the summer and how the decision published last Thursday was made.

Lemmettylä estimates that in addition to the reliability of the test itself, the challenge is that the expensive test equipment and the human resources required to familiarize yourself with the matter will probably increase the gap between smaller and larger teams and waxing personnel.

How difficult do you think it is to create a regulation around the fluor wax test?

“First, you have to get a functional and fair test, but it is clear that testing takes some time, and it affects the course of the ski competition.”

Lemmettylä believes that more extensive testing can be reviewed after the ban on fluor production comes into force in the European Union.

“Maybe after that, only suspicious cases will be tested. Testing all competitors is hardly the final solution.”