The conditions for the signing of the contract were fulfilled, when former SZS president Tomaž Lovše Tomaž Lovše transferred EUR 60,000 to Maze's account, the money that Maze's team waited for a year and a half.

This was the last instalment of the reward money that Lovše had promised to Maze after last year's World Skiing Championships in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, where Maze took gold.

This removed the last obstacle to reaching an agreement and the signing of the contract.

"Finally it happened. We see that things are going in the right direction. Now we can concentrate on the training, which is more than exhausting in this heat. It is nice that we are here and can officially end the negotiations that lasted months...I'm happy that the SZS understood that we can be successful together," Maze said.

SZS director Barbara Kürner Čad added: "The relations between the SZS and Tina Maze have been turbulent in the last season, which cast a negative light on the SZS and caused Tina problems in her preparations and performances.

"I think we have learned something from this and have approached the negotiations constructively. I believe we have found a solution that will enable normal relations between the federation and our best skier, a solution that will bring Tina peace and will help her to top achievements."