About the Eurovision Sports Games

Rules For Eurovision Sports Games -Winter

Art. 1

The games are organized every year in accordance with the decisions of the EUROVISION SPORTS - Congress, ref. General Rules nr.4. The games should be organized by the participating countries in an uninterrupted sequence.

Art. 2

The EUROVISION SPORTS Winter Games last 7 or 8 days and include

a) Alpine competitions: Super-G
Giant slalom
Slalom

b) Nordic competitions: Cross-country individual
Cross-country relay

Art. 3 Preparations by the organizer

3.1. The organizer must organize the games in such a way that all competitors can take part in all the competitions. The games should be organized such that the sports as well as the social aims conform with the Eurovision Sports rules. The participants should preferably be lodged in one hotel, or 2 or 3 hotels close by.

3.2. The organizer may use external professionals in managing the competitions. But the responsibility always lies with the organizing committee. No decisions or interpretations of the rules can be made by the organizer or his assistants that are not covered by the rules or by a decision by the team-leaders.

3.3. The organizer must send written invitations to all members of the EBU. Each country must give the organizer the correct name, address and telephone number of its team-leader or contact-person.
The invitations should be made as soon as possible, and not later than 4 months before the opening of the games. The invitations should include: location, schedule, conditions of participation, price, travel and abstention fees.

3.4. A program of the games must be sent to all EBU-members 2 months before the opening of the games.

3.5. The organizer may ask for a preliminary list of participants 3 months before the games start. This list should refer the names of the male and female participants in the different competitions.

3.6. One month before the games start the organizer must have a confirmed list of participants. Any abstention after the deadline will draw abstention penalties. After this deadline, any changes of names of the competitors must be communicated to the organizer as soon as possible.

3.7. Countries that do not abide by this deadline, could be excluded from the games. Past-deadline entries can be denied.

Art. 4 Participants

Participation is allowed for all employees in EBU-member organizations that have been employed for at least 1 year, or who have their main income from this organization, provided that they have not taken part in FIS-competitions or been part of a national racing team in the last five years.

All participating countries will accept the EUROVISION SPORTS - rules and decisions.

4.1. Each country can have until 30 participants, unless otherwise decided. Only 20 participants of one sex is allowed. Should especially difficult conditions prevail, the organizer may - at the team-leader meeting - propose a smaller number of participants.

4.2. The organizing country may have a higher number of participants, unless it reduces the quality of the competitions for the other participants. The team-leader meeting may decide on a higher number of participants for each race. 30 should suffice.

4.3. Should the number of participants make lodging difficult, the organizer may reduce the number of tourists.

4.4. The team-leader of each country is responsible for that all participants going to compete in the disciplines mentioned in Art. 9 and 10 have signed the "athletes' declaration".

Art. 5 The team-leader meeting

The team-leader meeting is held every night before the competitions. The organizer and the race-leader are obliged to give information on the race-course and the implementation of the race.
Each participating country should be represented by the team-leader along with 2 assistants. In the case of a voting, each country has one vote. On the team-leader meeting, the jury for each race is elected. The organizer is responsible for the jury-members' knowledge of the rules. During the team-leader meeting the team-leaders will receive a form, where the final participation data must be completed. Name, sex and age must be filled in. The competitors are divided into 3 groups according to their skills. Team-leaders who know that they have slow competitors, will submit these to the lower ranks, even if the number of runners in the top ranks are not complete.

Art. 6 Selection

The organizers will make an individual draw of runners within each group, based on the team-leaders ranking of the runners. Each country can have an observer present during the draw.

Art. 7 Start numbers

The start numbers will be distributed with the start lists during breakfast on the race-day - at the latest. The delegation-leader of each country distributes the start numbers and the -lists to his participants, and is also responsible for the recovery of the start numbers shortly after the race.

Art. 8 The jury

All competitions are governed by a jury, including a:

- Race leader (chairman)
- Course leader
- Timekeeper
- Arbitrator and assistant arbitrator who are chosen by the team-leader meeting.

The jury is responsible for the course, competition, time-keeping and the results which must be in accordance with the rules. The jury will meet shortly after the competition in order to confirm the results.
Before the confirmation, any protests must be handled. The written protests must be handed over by the team-leader of the respective country with a protest-fee of 50 SFR. Should the protest be accepted, the fee will be refunded. The protest must be made within 10 minutes after the race, and the announcement of the disqualifications. If in doubt the runner can start, while the protest is being studied.

The jury chairman and the arbitrator will sign the results after control.

Only in special cases where the rules don't give an exact answer, as to how the jury should act, a later verdict can be made. In these cases, an extraordinary team-leader meeting will be summoned in order to make a final decision.

Art. 9 Alpine competitions

The alpine competitions are generally implemented according to FIS rules. The team leader meeting can make modifications, though.

None is allowed in the race-course beyond the times given by the organizer. Start-numbers will be carried visible. All contenders will provide for maximum security in the course. If a runner should fall, he or she must make sure that the following runner is not obstructed.
The organizer decides if the same course is to be used by male and female runners, or whether 2 different courses will be used. In the first case, the women start first. The time-keeping should be made within 1/100 of a second's accuracy. At the finish photocells are used. A runner that is late for start, may under protest be allowed to start the last.

9.1. Super-G

In Super-G a crash-helmet must be worn during the race as well as during practice, and the start-numbers must be visible. Participants only are allowed in the course.

The organizer is responsible for the safety of the runners. The course should not contain technical difficulties above a certain level, such as jumps and very sharp bends. The aim should be to allow the largest number of racers to take part. The organizer will always try to start the games with Super-G.

9.1.1 Elevation: max. 300 m
Length: max. 70 seconds
Number of gates: 10 % of the elevation gap.

9.1.2. Implementation

a) Inspection: For security reasons no runner is allowed to run through more than 2 gates.

b) Training-run: Only when the organizer finds it possible, not mandatory.

Should a training-run be performed, the following rules prevail:

Start-interval: 1 minute
No time-keeping. But provisions will be made to enable each contender to make a complete run.

c) Competition: Start-interval 1 minute
Because of the different level of skiing-skills among the runners
the organizer should make provisions for flexible intervals

9.2 Giant Slalom

If possible the organizer should make different courses for men and women. The competition has 2 runs, that must be completed the same day. The inner gates must be flexible.

9.2.1 Elevation: 200 m
Length: ca. 50 seconds
Number of gates: 12 - 20 % of the elevation gap.

9.2.2 Implementation

a) Inspection before the first run is to be made within a certain time, given by the team-leader meeting. Only runners with a visible start-number are allowed in the course. It is not allowed to drive through the gates, those who do not abide by these rules will be disqualified.

b) First run: The starting-order depends on the number draw. Team-leaders must inform the starter on slower runners, who could be overtaken by the following runner.

c) Inspection before the second run within a set time-limit decided by the team-leaders' meeting, or announced in the finishing-area after the first run. Otherwise as the first run.

d) Second run:

The first 15 from the first run start in the opposite order. The rest of the runners start according to their position in the first run.

9.3 Slalom

Flexible gates must be used. Men and women should run in different slopes.

9.3.1. Elevation: max. 120 m.
Length: max. 200 m/ca. 40 sec.
Number of gates: ca. 35 - 40

If possible the 5 first gates after start should be made open.

9.3.2. Implementation

As in Giant Slalom.

9.4. Score of the alpine competitions

9.4.1 Individual score

Following is a FIS - calculation, race-points in relation to the fastest time, men and women should be given a separate calculation.
Each competition has a constant "F" which should be included in the formula.

The value of "F" in the season 1998/99:

F for the Super-G 930
F for the Giant Slalom 810
F for the Slalom 580

The formula is as follows:

Where To = the fastest time
Tx = time of the actual runner
F = constant

P - is then the internationally approved race points according to FIS.

The organizer must make sure that the technical conditions for making this calculation exist.
Since the constant "F" can change from year to year, the organizer is obliged to check the figure in October in the FIS-list. If in doubt the figure must be obtained from the national skiing organizations. The calculation must only be made from an updated list.

9.4.2 Alpine combination

The calculation is made by adding the race points in the different competitions. The winner has the lowest score of points. (FIS-norm).

Art. 10 Nordic competitions

The course should have mechanically prepared tracks. Beside the classic track, a 3 meters' wide track for skating must be prepared. The course must be well marked, so none makes a wrong turn.

10.1. Cross-country individual

10.1.1. Technical properties:

Women Men
Length: 5 km 10 km
Max. altitude gap: 50 m 50 m
Max. climb: 100 m 200 m

In competitions over 1000 meter ASL (above sea level), the course may be shortened, pending a decision in the team-leaders' meeting.
The timing should be made with electronic equipment, start-gate and photocells, and an exactitude of 1/10 of a sec.

Start-Intervals: 30 seconds

10.1.2 Starting-order according to the start-list, given by the draw. Should the same course be used, the women start first.

10.2 Relay 4 x 3 km.

Each team includes 4 persons, where at least one is of the opposite sex.

Max. elevation: 40 m.

Max. climb: 100 m.

10.2.1 Each nation may enter different teams, nations that cannot form a complete team, may participate in international teams. These teams may be formed shortly before the start. International teams are excluded from the prize-giving.

10.2.2 In the start-area is a zone where skating is not allowed. Violation of this rule implies disqualification.

10.2.3 In the starting zone, at least 8 parallel tracks with a length of 150 meters must be made. Starting-order according to last year's results. Last year's winner is put in the middle of the first line. The second best to his right, the third best to his left etc. New teams start last.

10.2.4 The start-numbers of the runners of a team should be distinguished, either by different colors, or by different numbers, e.g. 3/2, meaning the second runner of the 3rd team.

Art. 11 Classes

A: until 34 years
B: 35 to 49 years
C: from 50 years on.

For dividing each class, age on December 31. of the last year is decisive.

Art. 12 Prize-Giving

The prizes should be a cup. The organizer decides whether the winners also win a medal. Prizes can only be given to those who are on the participants' list.
Prizes to others than the 3 best runners/teams - e.g. remembrance prizes - can be decided by the organizer.

12.1 Individual competitions

12.1.1 In all the alpine competitions the 3 best women and the 3 best men in each class are awarded.

12.1.2 In the individual cross-country competition, the 3 best women and the 3 best men win a prize.

12.1.3 In the relay race, a cup is awarded the 3 best teams. The individual runners in each team become either a medal or a smaller cup.

12.1.4 Alpine combination

Pending the FIS-points in the 3 individual competitions added together, the 3 best women and the 3 best men in each class are awarded.

12.1.5 Combination giant slalom and cross-country

This is not a separate competition, but an awarding based on the individual performances in giant slalom and cross-country.
Lists are made for each class - A,B and C and for men and women, 6 altogether. Only those who have completed the competitions in giant slalom and cross-country will count. The easiest way to select the candidates for this prize, is to use the results for each of the two diciplines.
For women class A, for instance - the results for this class will be employed. Those who have not completed both diciplines are deleted. If there have been 15 competitors in giant slalom, but only 7 of them have participated in cross-country, 8 are dropped.
If 10 participated in cross country, only 7 will count in the combination. The 3 competitors that did not participate in giant slalom, do not count.
The 7 remaining will be placed from 1 to 7 in giant slalom and 1 to 7 in cross-country. These positions are added. The lowest score gives 1. place in the combination. With an equal score between 2 or more competitors, the winner is the competitor with the lowest score in giant slalom. A similar calculation must be made for the remaining 5 classes.

12.2 Combination

The FIS-points of the 3 best women and the 4 best men of a country in each of the 3 alpine competitions are added. The 3 best nations win a prize.

12.3 Challenge cups

The winner of the alpine combination and of the individual cross-country race win a challenge cup. These are to be kept by the winner until the opening of the next games. The winner is responsible for loss or damage to the cup. If engraving is not made the team-leader of the victorious team will make amends - before the opening of the next games.
Should the prize be won by someone forever, the organizer must make the next organizer responsible for the procurement of a new cup. The cup is won forever, if it has been won 3 times in succession, or 5 times all together.

Art. 13 Start- and result-lists

13.1. During breakfast on the race day - at the latest, the team-leader must be given 5 -10 start-lists.

13.2 At the team-leaders' meeting after a race, the delegation-leaders must be given the same number of result-lists.

13.3 Before departure from the tournament, every participant should have a protocol with the final results of the games. In this protocol all results signed by the jury and all times must be included.

Art. 14 These rules replace the rules from 1989, and are valid as of July 1st 1999.

State: January, 23rd 2002