This month, the debate about “fluorodoping,” cheating with banned fluorinated products, was reignited when the organizers of the FIS Scandinavian Cup revealed widespread use of banned products during the competitions in Falun, Sweden, on January 7 to 9, 2022.

Vegard Ulvang, who is the chair of the International Ski Federation (FIS) cross-country committee, was present at the infamous Scandinavian Cup race weekend in Falun. He says this was the first time he experienced such an intense discussion about illegal use of fluorinated waxes and toppings. 

“Obviously, I’m not involved in each and every cross-country race. But I was at the Scandinavian Cup races in Falun, and I noticed that the use of banned fluorinated products was a topic. This is the first time I have experienced so much talk about it,” Ulvang says to ProXCskiing.com.

All about ski waxes and toppings:
Ski waxes and technology, Part 1
Ski waxes and technology, Part 2

Very easy to cheat
Fluorine is used in ski waxes and toppings such as powders and liquids to provide better glide, and thus greater speed. The variety of fluorine used in ski waxes and toppings contain long-chained fluorocarbons (C6 and C8). 

The manufacturing, trade and use of C8 compounds is banned in the EU and EEC as well as in North America, and have been since 2020. Accordingly, ski waxes and toppings containing C8 compounds are banned in FIS and IBU competitions.

In certain snow conditions, products containing illegal C8 can provide better glide than fluorine-free alternatives and wax products with the (still) legal C6 compounds. In these specific conditions, using products with the banned C8 compounds can provide an unfair competitive advantage.

Ulvang doesn’t think it’s possible to stop the “fluorodoping” until FIS has a test device in place that can detect is fluorinated waxes and toppings have been used on the skis. 

“FIS is completely dependent on making the test device work. Without it, it is challenging to enforcing the fluoride ban. Until we have a reliable test device, we have to live with the fluoro cheating. You can do random tests in the lubrication booths, but as long as you do not have control options for the skis, it is very easy to cheat if you want to,” Ulvang says to ProXCskiing.com.  

However, those who were caught in the specific cases in Falun may still face consequences. 

“People have been caught red-handed there, and they have admitted the use of banned waxes and toppings. The violations have been reported upwards in the system, so in these specific cases there could be sanctions coming. What they did and admitted to doing is a violation of the rules and all violations are punishable,” says Ulvang.

Violations of the FIS/IBU ban on fluorinated waxes can be punished with fines, cancellation of accreditations and/or suspensions. 

Depending on a reliable test device
As chair of the cross-country committee in FIS, Ulvang has a good overview of what is happening at the organizational level in FIS, but he emphasizes that he is not directly involved in the work around the FIS ban on fluorocarbons. 

The FIS and IBU have joined forces to develop a hand-held device to use outdoors in order to detect if fluoros have been used on the skis.

“I am not on the committee that works with the test apparatus and its development. But I know that we are working really hard to make this test device work. This has been worked on for several years, but it is an all-new field within its science and technologically very complicated, and we are still struggling to make the test device work reliably,” says Ulvang.

Suspended the total ban on all fluoros, introduced partial bans
In response to the EU regulations, the FIS and the IBU introduced a total ban on all fluorocarbons, which applies to both C8 and C6 connections. The FIS ban was adopted in November 2019, and the International Biathlon Union (IBU) adopted a similar ban in 2020.

“The main reason why FIS has banned both C8 and C6 connections, is that they knew they would need a hand-held device to use outdoors at the race venues to detect if fluoros have been used on the skis. But to distinguish between C8 and C6, you must be in a laboratory and the process is also very time consuming. That is not convenient in a race situation, and that’s why FIS has banned both,” Ulvang explains.

The FIS/IBU ban was to take effect for the 2020/21 season. But the test device turned out to be difficult to build, and so far, none of the prototypes have worked satisfactorily. Consequently, the implementation of the FIS/IBU ban on fluoros is postponed until the test device works. Until then, the EU ban on C8 apply.

Addressing this issue but still lacking a functional test device, the FIS issued a trust-based contract prior to the 2021/22 season, in which the national federations signed off on that they would not use C8 products.

However, a working ban is completely dependent on the getting the test device to work. 

“In most conditions, to my knowledge, the difference between C6 products and C8 products is minimal. But you must be able to detect illegal use, not only to prevent someone from gaining unfair competitive advantages, but also to avoid mistrust and suspicion among athletes, teams and federations,” FIS cross-country committee chair Vegard Ulvang says to ProXCskiing.com.