![Alessandro Trovati FILE - Austria's Marcel Hirscher competes during the first run of a men's alpine ski slalom, in Soldeu, Andorra, Sunday, March 17, 2019. Eight-time overall World Cup champion Hirscher is planning to return to ski racing next season after five years in retirement. And he’s going to compete for the Netherlands — his mother’s country — instead of his native Austria. The Austrian winter sports federation announced Wednesday, April 24, 2024, that it had released the 35-year-old Hirscher and endorsed his nation change. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/5039b391de4549029bc231678580c85f/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
FILE - Austria's Marcel Hirscher competes during the first run of a men's alpine ski slalom, in Soldeu, Andorra, Sunday, March 17, 2019. Eight-time overall World Cup champion Hirscher is planning to return to ski racing next season after five years in retirement. And he’s going to compete for the Netherlands — his mother’s country — instead of his native Austria. The Austrian winter sports federation announced Wednesday, April 24, 2024, that it had released the 35-year-old Hirscher and endorsed his nation change. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati, File)
![Alessandro Trovati FILE - Austria's Marcel Hirscher speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom in Wengen, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018. Marcel Hirscher, one of the most successful ski racers of all time, is planning to return next season after five years in retirement. And the record eight-time overall World Cup champion is going to compete for the Netherlands — his mother's country — instead of his native Austria. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/60cf2bffb0e7415eb2315705ec2ea748/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
FILE - Austria's Marcel Hirscher speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom in Wengen, Switzerland, Sunday, Jan. 14, 2018. Marcel Hirscher, one of the most successful ski racers of all time, is planning to return next season after five years in retirement. And the record eight-time overall World Cup champion is going to compete for the Netherlands — his mother's country — instead of his native Austria. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati, File)
![Kerstin Joensson FILE - Austria's ski star Marcel Hirscher speaks during a press conference announcing the end of his skiing career in Salzburg, Austria, on Sept. 4, 2019. Eight-time overall World Cup champion Hirscher is planning to return to ski racing next season after five years in retirement. And he’s going to compete for the Netherlands — his mother’s country — instead of his native Austria. The Austrian winter sports federation announced Wednesday, April 24, 2024, that it had released the 35-year-old Hirscher and endorsed his nation change. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/f2aea010d2ad470d925386d8326cda3d/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
FILE - Austria's ski star Marcel Hirscher speaks during a press conference announcing the end of his skiing career in Salzburg, Austria, on Sept. 4, 2019. Eight-time overall World Cup champion Hirscher is planning to return to ski racing next season after five years in retirement. And he’s going to compete for the Netherlands — his mother’s country — instead of his native Austria. The Austrian winter sports federation announced Wednesday, April 24, 2024, that it had released the 35-year-old Hirscher and endorsed his nation change. (AP Photo/Kerstin Joensson, File)
![Giovanni Auletta FILE - Austria's Marcel Hirscher celebrates on the podium after winning an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom in Zagreb, Croatia, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. Marcel Hirscher, one of the most successful ski racers of all time, is planning to return next season after five years in retirement. And the record eight-time overall World Cup champion is going to compete for the Netherlands — his mother's country — instead of his native Austria. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/c2c1ac53a14240faab5f2c676061fdc6/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
FILE - Austria's Marcel Hirscher celebrates on the podium after winning an alpine ski, men's World Cup slalom in Zagreb, Croatia, Sunday, Jan. 6, 2019. Marcel Hirscher, one of the most successful ski racers of all time, is planning to return next season after five years in retirement. And the record eight-time overall World Cup champion is going to compete for the Netherlands — his mother's country — instead of his native Austria. (AP Photo/Giovanni Auletta, File)
![Alessandro Trovati FILE - Austria's Marcel Hirscher poses on the podium with the trophies for men's alpine ski World Cup overall leader, giant slalom and slalom, in Soldeu, Andorra, on March 17, 2019. Eight-time overall World Cup champion Hirscher is planning to return to ski racing next season after five years in retirement. And he’s going to compete for the Netherlands — his mother’s country — instead of his native Austria. The Austrian winter sports federation announced Wednesday, April 24, 2024, that it had released the 35-year-old Hirscher and endorsed his nation change. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/5f966b7f6b1d4828880d58533e8ecdbe/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
FILE - Austria's Marcel Hirscher poses on the podium with the trophies for men's alpine ski World Cup overall leader, giant slalom and slalom, in Soldeu, Andorra, on March 17, 2019. Eight-time overall World Cup champion Hirscher is planning to return to ski racing next season after five years in retirement. And he’s going to compete for the Netherlands — his mother’s country — instead of his native Austria. The Austrian winter sports federation announced Wednesday, April 24, 2024, that it had released the 35-year-old Hirscher and endorsed his nation change. (AP Photo/Alessandro Trovati, File)
![Luca Bruno FILE - Austria's Marcel Hirscher skis to the gold medal in the second run of the men's giant slalom at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018. Marcel Hirscher, one of the most successful ski racers of all time, is planning to return next season after five years in retirement. And the record eight-time overall World Cup champion is going to compete for the Netherlands — his mother's country — instead of his native Austria. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)](https://mapi.associatedpress.com/v2/items/91c21fa2b43345259e4e0acd9915b6ff/preview/preview.jpg?s=680x)
FILE - Austria's Marcel Hirscher skis to the gold medal in the second run of the men's giant slalom at the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, Sunday, Feb. 18, 2018. Marcel Hirscher, one of the most successful ski racers of all time, is planning to return next season after five years in retirement. And the record eight-time overall World Cup champion is going to compete for the Netherlands — his mother's country — instead of his native Austria. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)