Equality in ski jumping: women demand fair bonuses and opportunities!

worldwide, a current discussion about gender equality in ski jumping causes a stir. The women in ski jumping have been criticizing unequal treatment compared to their male colleagues for years. The focus is on an incident in the qualification for the "Two Nights" tour, in which the ski jumper Selina Freitag received no prize money for her victory. Instead, she received a present consisting of shampoo, shower gel and towels, while male jumpers received 3,000 Swiss francs for the same success.

This inequality has now also called on the world association FIS. As Br.de , the FIS is planning measures to make equality in skiing, with the aim of increasing the premiums for women and a uniform calendar for men and women. Racing director Sandro Pertile recognizes the existing inequality and would like to close it in the coming years. It is firmly planned that from the 2026/27 season, men and women should take part in competitions.

reactions and demands

Selina Freitag expressed her displeasure with the type of gift and described the unequal treatment as not acceptable. The DSV sports director Horst Hüttel described the gift as unhappy and even raised the idea of ​​better not to give anything. The discussion about the allocation of material prices instead of cash premiums continues to be hotly debated. Historical examples show that male athletes often received material prizes, including televisions and refrigerators.

The announcement of the FIS to improve the conditions for women is also in the context of efforts for more visibility and attention for the ski jumpers. The most recent women's competition in Garmisch-Partenkirchen took place after the men's qualification, with only 3,000 out of 10,000 spectators for women stayed on the hill. Pertile has guaranteed to tighten the program in the future and to bring more entertainment into competitions in order to increase the attractiveness of women's ski jumping.