Team Trophy Before Other Events At The Olympics

[loulou]

Cinquanta said ten countries will be taking part into the team event; and three team medals will be awarded.
And it will be skated before the other traditional events (Men, Ladies, Pairs, Dance).

---

He sounds quite unpleasant, and I'm afraid a bit disgraceful.

He said figure skating is the most difficult sport in the world, together with tennis.
(Really, what would you call an Amanar, Mr.?)

He also said:

"I'm from Milan, and we have this rather important theatre called La Scala, so - how's that a so? btw - I know more about ballet than I know about figure skating. Yet, I tell ya, in all the times I've seen dancers, I've never seen them falling, like figure skaters do. That gives an idea of how difficult figure skating is compared to all other sports - he didn't quite get ballet wouldn't fall under the sport category, I assume".

---

So Figure Skating is run by that brilliant mind, uh?
And I happened to be worried in the past, silly me.

[OlieRow]

I think this is something that definitely needs to happen after the individual events. Otherwise, I think it's an OK idea. The skaters seemed to enjoy WTT and who wouldn't want another shot at the medals?

[misskarne]

Bad, stupid idea.

Especially if the federations are expected to have their regular competitors as the team rather than a seperately chosen team.

The skaters who skate in the team event are at an immediate disadvantage. What happens if someone gets hurt?

Poorly thought out IMO. Also, it's not likely to be good image for the team event, as federations will probably rest their bigger guns for it (i.e., Russia having Gachinsky rather than Plushenko as their man, etc etc - sorry only example I could think of at 1:14am...)

[Skittl1321]

He's never seen a ballerina fall? I've seen it, and I've only been to a few professional ballets!

On the topic, I think it's absurd to put this event first.

[lmarie086]

I thought they wanted to make the figure skating schedule at the Olympics shorter? Wasn't that one of the reasons they gave (among many others, of course) for eliminating the CD? I mean I like the WTT but it definitely doesn't make sense to have it before the individual events if at all either.

[loulou]

Especially if the federations are expected to have their regular competitors as the team rather than a seperately chosen team.

I should go through the interview again to be 100% sure on that.
But on top of my mind I recall him saying something that sounded like the athlets that will skate in the team competition will be amongst those that will skates in the traditional events.
In other words: no separately chosen team for the team event.

He didn't say (and I'm wondering) how will countries qualify for the team event. Obviosly they can't take into account olympic results, as those would be yet to come.

[Cherub721]

It's a stupid idea having it first but I think he's doing it to force skaters to participate in the team event. This way they can make a rule that the top ranked skaters must skate in the team event or they forfeit their individual spot. If the team event happened after the individual, then a bunch of skaters might withdraw as happens at Worlds each Olympic year.

It's unfair because skaters from minor federations like Yu-Na Kim would get extra rest/training time as opposed to say the Japanese or American skaters who would be performing in the team event beforehand.

[Skittl1321]

It's unfair because skaters from minor federations like Yu-Na Kim would get extra rest/training time as opposed to say the Japanese or American skaters who would be performing in the team event beforehand.

Hadn't thought about that... That does seem quite unfair. It seems like there are a good number of skaters who excel, even if their country does not in every discipline.

[Really]

Um...don't gymnastics team events happen before the individual events? They seem to survive okay...

[BigB08822]

Gymnasts do team events for 2 days, AA and then any EF. They, shockingly, live to see another day. Figure skaters are ATHLETES, not some delicate little children suffering from terminal cancer.

[Triple Butz]

"I'm from Milan, and we have this rather important theatre called La Scala, so - how's that a so? btw - I know more about ballet than I know about figure skating. Yet, I tell ya, in all the times I've seen dancers, I've never seen them falling, like figure skaters do. That gives an idea of how difficult figure skating is compared to all other sports - he didn't quite get ballet wouldn't fall under the sport category, I assume".

So the President of the International Skating Union knows more about ballet? Please, please, please....step down.

Having a team event in gymnastics is more feasible because 1)Their teams are larger to begin with 2)All team members are competing in the same event with the same elements and the same rules 3)Men and women do not compete on teams together as they have separate events 4)In gymnastics, all countries that qualify enough entrants have a chance to qualify for a team final

Remember the old GPF rules where skaters had to do extra long programs and they were generally burned out and exhausted by the end? That's how I see this turning out...not a good idea.

Figure skating already has a team event: SYNCHRO. Let's make that an olympic sport instead of pasting together programs from different events.

[manhn]

If gymnasts didn't have to do a team event, then maybe their floor exercise routines would only be semi embarassing instead of completely embarassing.

[Hooloovoo]

There's the additional unfair burden on countries that have multiple top contenders. Assuming there's only one lady/man/pairs/dance in each countries team, what about a country with two medal contenders. Say Japan in mens. Force Kozuka to do the team and Takahashi gets an unfair advantage of being able to train and not risk injury in the team event.

While I think skaters are athletes and should be able to handle another run through of their LPs, it's not fair to the competitors if only some of them have to compete. Especially if it's a "have to" and not "can if they want to" situation.

Even if they have a choice, imagine the pressure if you're the only skater for your country in that discipline who's a top contender and without you there's no team event. That's a lot of pressure to put on someone, especially when you get down to the fact that skating is an individual sport.

-Hoo

[a56]

Gymnasts do team events for 2 days, AA and then any EF. They, shockingly, live to see another day. Figure skaters are ATHLETES, not some delicate little children suffering from terminal cancer.

You are so right. I'm sure the skaters who have to compete in both the team and individual events will be able to get through them without problems.

[bek]

If gymnasts didn't have to do a team event, then maybe their floor exercise routines would only be semi embarassing instead of completely embarassing.

The team event is an integral and historical event in gymnastics, and every single member of the team participates.

This is a new event and since not every member participates, I think they'd be better off moving it till AFTER the singles portion is over.

It is unfair to Kozuka if he has to compete but Daisuke gets to rest.

Although even in gymnastics you can have that. I remember Beth Tweddle sitting out of Team Finals to rest up for individual events and that drawing some ire. She actually didn't get an individual medal that year.

[misskarne]

Gymnasts do team events for 2 days, AA and then any EF. They, shockingly, live to see another day. Figure skaters are ATHLETES, not some delicate little children suffering from terminal cancer.

Yes, but in gymnastics, EVERYONE has to do the team event. What we're talking about here is some skaters being able to rest while some have to compete an extra time. Very unfair IMO.

[RFOS]

So do the skaters who don't actually skate in the team event but also represent a medaling country get a medal for that event too?

[Made4Dancin]

I don't know if it's that bad. Suppose some of the older guys hang on until Sochi. Like Plushenko, Joubert and Takahashi. Well if they make the team, their chances of making the podium in the individual event would probably be pretty slim. So I'm thinking it would make sense for skaters in that position to try both events. That would leave Gachinski, Amodio, and Kozuka to only do the individual event allowing them to be as fresh as they need to be to compete at the very top. It could be the same with the ladies, if anyone hangs on that long.

[casken]

I foresee a bunch of the favorites phoning it in for the team event in order to save themselves for the individual gold.

[Asli]

He (Cinquanta) also said:

"I'm from Milan, and we have this rather important theatre called La Scala, so - how's that a so? btw - I know more about ballet than I know about figure skating. Yet, I tell ya, in all the times I've seen dancers, I've never seen them falling, like figure skaters do. That gives an idea of how difficult figure skating is compared to all other sports - he didn't quite get ballet wouldn't fall under the sport category, I assume".

---

So Figure Skating is run by that brilliant mind, uh?
And I happened to be worried in the past, silly me.

Oh my goodness!

The president of the ISU, who personally turned the judging topsy turvy by proposing the idea of the Code of Points, now claims he doesn't know figure skating even as well as ballet, which he knows only by virtue of being from Milan? The director of ballet at La Scala should watch his/her back. Soon Cinquanta may try to overturn his recruitment criteria.

Ballerinas hardly ever fall on stage, it is true. I am sure figure skaters don't often fall on the dance floor once they have learned the moves either.

However, Mr Cinquanta, when you attend a medal ceremony, they roll a carpet for you, so you don't slip. If they didn't put the carpet there, you would see that the surface is actually slippery. VERY slippery. Ask Fabian Bourzat.