The 62-year-old Italian, head of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation, won a disputed election in Geneva in May when International Ski Federation (FIS) President Johan Eliasch disputed the validity of the election of the seven winter sports.

Eliasch received zero votes after withdrawing his name at the last minute but claimed that formal protocol and procedures were not followed and, therefore, the election should not have been held.

The election was to be conducted virtually, but allegedly Eliasch insisted the AIOWF General Assembly and election take place in-person, a request which upset several members.

Eliasch then left the meeting and Ferriani was elected to a new four-year term, receiving all five votes, considering his own abstention.

Eliasch will not stand on this occasion but is expected to challenge Ferriani on a number of issues during the meeting.

This latest election is taking place less than 24 hours after Ferriani oversaw the dissolution of the Global Association of International Sports Federations, which he also leads.

Ferriani was first elected AIOWF President during an online meeting two years ago when he replaced Gian Franco Kasper, the former President of the International Ski Federation, who retired from the position having only served half of his last term.

Ferriani was a bobsleigh athlete from 1982 until 1990 and participated in the 1988 Olympic Winter Games in Calgary.

From there he moved on to coaching and management before serving as the bobsleigh, luge and skeleton competition manager for the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin.

In 2016, Ferriani was elected a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

He also served on the IOC’s Coordination Commission for the 2022 Winter Olympic Games in Beijing, the Sustainability and Legacy Commission, the Women in Sport Commission, as well as on the Entourage Commission.

Ferriani has been a part of the IOC’s Executive Board as the AIOWF representative since 2018.