According to SportNews.bz, Albania is planning a €300,000 package to keep ski star Lara Colturi. It is a clear signal against a looming change of nationality to FISI.

The Albanian Ski Association is apparently willing to do whatever it takes to keep its biggest sporting star: According to a report by the South Tyrolean sports portal SportNews.bz, the association is planning a comprehensive support package worth 300,000 euros to keep skiing talent Lara Colturi in Albania for the long term.

Financial support as a signal to stay

As reported by SportNews.bz on Friday, the money will not only go towards directly supporting the athlete, but also towards improving the entire sporting infrastructure surrounding Colturi. Comprehensive support for training, travel, equipment, and medical care is planned. The goal: the ski association wants to offer Colturi “optimal conditions to continue competing for Albania,” according to the report.

The initiative comes at a time when Colturi is considering returning to the Italian Ski Federation (FISI), according to media reports from Italy. The Albanian offer could be seen as a clear response to these rumors of a change.

Success story with the Albanian flag

Lara Colturi, daughter of former Italian Olympic champion Daniela Ceccarelli, decided in 2022 to compete for Albania rather than Italy. According to SportNews.bz, the decisive factors were the prospect of early World Cup starts and an individual support program led by her mother, who holds an official position in the Albanian association.

Colturi achieved several top placings in the Alpine Ski World Cup in the 2024/25 season, including podium finishes in slalom and giant slalom. This made her the most successful Albanian ski racer in history – and a figurehead for the federation, which is now doing everything it can to keep her.

Political signal for Albania’s winter sports

With the planned package, the association not only wants to keep Colturi, but also send a political signal: Albania wants to position itself as a serious winter sports nation in the long term. The investment in Colturi is a strategic move to inspire young talent and secure international attention – at least according to many observers.