Kelly Brush Basis Calls on FIS to Strengthen Security Measures Following the Dying of Italian Skier Matteo Franzoso
BURLINGTON, Vt., Sept. 25, 2025 — The Kelly Brush Basis (KBF) is urging the Worldwide Ski Federation (FIS) to undertake extra athlete security measures following the tragic loss of life of Italian World Cup skier Matteo Franzoso in a coaching crash in La Parva, Chile.
In a letter despatched this week, the inspiration known as for instant enhancements to scale back the danger of comparable accidents. KBF additionally provided its experience and sources to assist FIS in making these adjustments directly.
Two A long time of Security Advocacy
Kelly Brush based the KBF after a 2006 FIS-sanctioned NCAA race, when she sustained a spinal twine harm that left her paralyzed from the chest down. For almost 20 years, the inspiration has reshaped ski racing’s strategy to security in the USA.
KBF has skilled tons of of coaches and volunteers, distributed toolkits of greatest practices, and helped golf equipment buy greater than 100 miles of security netting—totaling over $1 million in enhancements at greater than 200 venues.
By way of these efforts, security has turn out to be a precedence somewhat than an afterthought in American ski racing. Now, KBF believes it’s time for that very same cultural shift to increase throughout the worldwide ski racing group.
Key Proposals to FIS
In its letter to FIS, KBF steered establishing a global security audit committee and pledged to share sources which have already confirmed efficient in the USA. These embrace:
Prioritizing academic security initiatives, workshops, and sources for coaches, athletes, and officers
Extending security greatest practices past race venues to coaching websites, the place athletes spend most of their time
Consultants Obtainable to Help
The muse emphasised that it has consultants able to collaborate with FIS and nationwide associations worldwide:
Paul Van Slyke — Alpine Competitors and Security Marketing consultant, FIS Technical Delegate, and one of many world’s main ski racing security consultants.
Kelly Brush — Founding father of the Kelly Brush Basis, former NCAA racer, and advocate for athlete security since her 2006 accident.
Board of Administrators — A various staff of leaders in sport, drugs, and security, who’ve pushed systemic enhancements in ski racing throughout the U.S.
Professional Voices
Kelly Brush stated her accident formed her life’s mission:
“I do know firsthand how devastating an absence of security measures will be. That’s why the Kelly Brush Basis has spent almost 20 years making ski racing safer in the USA. Now, it’s time to deliver that very same urgency to the worldwide degree.”
Paul Van Slyke, one of many main international authorities on ski racing security, underscored the significance of increasing protections to coaching environments:
“Athletes spend most of their time coaching, not racing. If we solely defend them on race day, we miss the larger image. FIS has an actual alternative to steer with coaching venue security as a precedence.”
Tiger Shaw, former CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard and present KBF board member, pressured that the blueprint already exists:
“FIS can lead these efforts in a significant method. We within the U.S. have embraced Kelly and the KBF’s management and efficiently modified how we take into consideration and implement security at residence. This needs to be a world commonplace.”
The Kelly Brush Basis Letter to FIS
The next is the complete letter despatched to FIS on Sept. 23, 2025:
Expensive Mr. Eliasch and FIS Council Members,
We’re deeply saddened by the tragic occasions in La Parva, Chile final week. Our hearts exit to Matteo Franzoso’s household, teammates, coaches and the whole ski racing group.
On the Kelly Brush Basis (KBF), we’re aware of the opportunity of tragic outcomes from ski racing accidents and imagine that almost all tragedies are preventable with the correct measures in place. We have now devoted the final 20 years to advocating for elevated security consciousness, schooling, and implementation throughout the USA at each degree of the game. By way of this grassroots work, the KBF has modified the tradition of ski racing security within the US, making it a precedence, not an afterthought.
And regardless of all of our work, our sport continues to be affected by accidents and, too usually, tragedy. Whereas we acknowledge the steps the Worldwide Ski Federation (FIS) is taking to enhance athlete security, extra instant motion is required, and we wish to assist. We propose that FIS completely consider and audit the present coaching practices, procedures, and security requirements by establishing an audit committee earlier than the upcoming ski season. This committee would study present practices and prioritize academic initiatives, akin to workshops and sources for coaches, athletes, and officers, to advertise a tradition of security consciousness.
Importantly, protections and homologation procedures ought to lengthen past race programs to coaching venues, the place athletes spend the vast majority of their time, guaranteeing complete security throughout all environments.
The KBF has an extended historical past of working with and supporting the ski racing group to make sure the protection of athletes. We have now created a toolkit of security sources that’s utilized by coaches and race officers throughout the USA and provide these sources publicly on our web site. Moreover, we provide the advisory companies of our Alpine Competitors and Security Marketing consultant, Paul Van Slyke, one of many world’s main security consultants and FIS Technical Delegate. This second requires a motion on a world scale. We sit up for collaborating with FIS to mannequin the protection enhancements that we’ve got catalyzed in US ski racing over the previous 20 years and assist create coaching and racing environments that prioritize security above all else.
The Kelly Brush Basis has been a driving pressure of US Alpine ski racing security innovation, schooling and implementation throughout all ranges of the game from the bottom up. FIS now has the chance to take decisive motion and proceed to steer with the authority and sources that solely the worldwide federation can present.
“FIS can lead these efforts in a significant method,” stated Tiger Shaw, former CEO of US Ski & Snowboard and present Kelly Brush Basis board member. “We within the US have embraced Kelly and the KBF’s management and efficiently modified how we take into consideration and implement security at residence. This needs to be a world commonplace.”
Because the season begins, that is an pressing name to motion. The KBF is dedicated to ski racing security and may help. In mild of current occasions, we’re asking FIS and all nationwide ski associations, officers, coaches, volunteers, and athletes to come back collectively and reveal that very same dedication.
Sincerely,Kelly Brush | Founding father of the Kelly Brush Basis&Board of Administrators | Kelly Brush Basis
Name for International Management
The muse pressured that FIS has the authority and sources to set a brand new international security commonplace. The tragic lack of Franzoso underscores the urgency, however KBF believes it additionally presents a possibility to rework the game.
Concerning the Kelly Brush Basis
Kelly Brush based the group after her 2006 crash, when she struck an unprotected elevate tower in a collegiate race and suffered a spinal twine harm that left her paralyzed from the chest down. Since then, the inspiration has superior athlete security by driving schooling, delivering coaching, and funding important tools.
Its packages have supported coaches, volunteers, and ski golf equipment nationwide, driving a long-lasting cultural change in how Alpine ski racing approaches security.
Press Contact:Andrew Bernstein[email protected]610.618.6272
