Lewis removed as FIS secretary general after confidence vote

(Reuters) - Briton Sarah Lewis has been removed as secretary general of the International Ski Federation (FIS) following a confidence vote, the sport's governing body said on Friday.

Former alpine skier Lewis, 55, had been secretary general of the organisation since 2000. The FIS did not provide details as to why Lewis had been removed.

"At its meeting today, the FIS Council, including the members of the Marc Hodler Foundation, based on a complete loss of confidence, has decided by a great majority vote that Sarah Lewis will no longer serve as the Secretary General of FIS, effective Oct. 9," the FIS said in a statement https://www.fis-ski.com/en/international-ski-federation/news-multimedia/news/secretary-general-sarah-lewis-to-leave-fis.

Lewis had emerged as a possible candidate to run for FIS president when current chief Gian-Franco Kasper said in November that he planned to step down at the next International Ski Congress, multiple media reports said.

She was a member of Britain's alpine ski team from 1982-1988 and competed in the 1987 alpine world ski championships and the 1988 Winter Olympics before taking up a role in the FIS in 1994.

Apart from her role as FIS secretary general, she served in a similar position in the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations.

(Reporting by Shrivathsa Sridhar in Bengaluru; Editing by Toby Davis)