‘No question' of banning off-piste skiing says French minister.
The French Minster for Sport, Jean-Francois Lamour, has stated categorically that it is out of the question to ban off-piste skiing, despite the unprecedented number of avalanche fatalities in France (53 this season). Instead he wishes to focus on better information, and the creation of a better system expert accident analysis. Instructors, guides, federations, resort professionals, mountain rescue and weather forecasters have all been invited to analyse the causes of this year's accidents. Some changes are expected to be made before the Easter holidays begin, notably improving the information given to off-piste skiers.
Regulating off-piste skiing, however, is not an option the minister is prepared to consider. He yesterday stated "It is the responsibility of the individual professional or amateur skier to which one must appeal. Ultimately, it is he or she that must make the decision, so we must better analyse the process which makes him decide whether or not to go off-piste, and improve the information he receives."
