Raphaëlle Favre Schnyder and Diego Züger have been unanimously elected to a new copresidency of the organizing committee for the 2027 Alpine World Ski Championships in Crans-Montana, following an extraordinary general assembly. The leadership restructuring resolves an interim arrangement put in place after the abrupt departure of former president Claude-Alain Schmidhalter.
Fantasy & Market Impact
- Leadership Stability: The appointment of Swiss-Ski co-CEO Diego Züger and Valais lawyer Raphaëlle Favre Schnyder restores front-office stability ahead of the scheduled February 2027 global showcase.
A New Copresidency Fills the Leadership Void
The association for the 2027 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships finalized its executive committee structure during a gathering, electing the pair to lead the organization forward. Prior to this appointment, an interim duo consisting of Crans-Montana municipal councillor Sébastien Rey and Diego Züger had steered the committee. The new structure pairs Favre Schnyder—who has served on the Swiss Ski Federation’s presidium as the representative for the Western Interregions since 2024—with Züger, who functions as co-CEO of Swiss-Ski.
This restructuring directly addresses the vacancy left by Claude-Alain Schmidhalter. On October 7, the Upper Valais native was initially suspended from his mandates before opting to resign from both the organizing committee presidency and his position at Swiss-Ski within the hour. Explaining his exit at the time, Schmidhalter stated he was stepping down because the World Championships required clarity, while maintaining he had nothing to reproach himself for.
Upcoming Court Date Looms for Former President
The leadership overhaul precedes an upcoming court appearance for the former president. Claude-Alain Schmidhalter is scheduled to appear before the District Court of Brig on October 27 to answer to fraud charges unrelated to the sport of skiing. The Public Prosecutor’s Office has indicted Schmidhalter and an associate over the management of an engineering firm in the Upper Valais owned by Schmidhalter, according to information from Blick confirmed by Keystone-ATS.
Prosecutors plan to argue for a suspended prison sentence of 23 months over a three-year probation period, alongside a 10’000-franc fine and 55’000 francs in victim compensation. The case centers on a disputed retirement compensation agreement between Schmidhalter and his former business partner, which prosecutors allege was intentionally deflated by transferring company profits to a secondary corporate entity, causing a financial prejudice exceeding 300’000 francs. Schmidhalter continues to maintain that the accusations will prove unfounded during the ongoing legal proceedings.
| Key Figure | Role / Organization | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Raphaëlle Favre Schnyder | Copresident, Crans-Montana 2027 / Swiss Ski Presidium | Elected unanimously |
| Diego Züger | Copresident, Crans-Montana 2027 / Co-CEO Swiss-Ski | Elected unanimously |
| Claude-Alain Schmidhalter | Former President, Crans-Montana 2027 & Swiss-Ski | Resigned October 7; court date October 27 |
Countdown to Crans-Montana 2027
With the administrative framework now secured, the new copresidency inherits an intense operational schedule. The 2027 Alpine World Ski Championships in Crans-Montana are officially slated to run from February 1 through February 14, 2027, as detailed by ATS. As Favre Schnyder and Züger assume joint command of the executive committee, attention shifts to piste preparation, ticketing infrastructure, and international broadcast logistics ahead of the winter showcase.
