3 New ISU Members

[nirti]

I've not found any other thread on it so I start one :

The ISU communication n°1680 inform that they are 3 new ISU Members in figure skating : Cyprus, Grenada and Morocco.

Cyprus was an ISU member but was excluded in 2004 (If I good remember) after some years of inactivity.

Morocco is the first Maghreb-member of the ISU and the second of Africa (with South Africa).

Grenada is the second Caribbean member (with Puerto Rico), maybe some US skaters with grenadian origins could represent it on competitions...

Somebody have more informations about the development of figure skating in these 3 countries?

I thought that the next members would have been Kirghizstan (that have appeared in some little competitions in East Europe) or Indonesia (there is an ice rink in Jakarta), but maybe they will wait a little...

[YoenNL]

I thought maybe UAE might be in?

[Frau Muller]

I've .....Grenada is the second Caribbean member (with Puerto Rico), maybe some US skaters with grenadian origins could represent it on competitions..........

In some ISU federations, "origins" don't matter. Azerbaijan, anyone?

[kirkbiggestfan]

Morocco has a rink in Rabat, but the contact person for the federation is Muriel Zazoui. (Her husband is in the speed skating section) There are a few French skaters with Morrocan origins, so I guess we will see dancers representing Morocco very soon.

[FigureSpins]

Someone told me that "developing skating" countries have been more focused on speed skating than on figure skating because of the complexity and training requirements. Apparently, speed skating programs are faster to develop than figure skating. I don't know how true the statement was, but it's definitely food for thought. The ISU does govern speed skating as well as figure skating.

[fan]

So you don't even need one rink in the country to qualify for membership?

[essence_of_soy]

Speaking of 'developing skating' countries, I always love how half the ladies international field from Four Continents are from Costa Mesa, California.

[overedge]

So you don't even need one rink in the country to qualify for membership?

From the posts above it sounds like all three of these countries have rinks.

I believe that a country does have to have at least one rink, and I don't even think it has to be a rink with ice in it all year. India is an ISU member and its federation is based in a town in the Himalayan foothills which has an outdoor rink in winter. I don't think there's a permanent rink anywhere else in the country.

[beepbeep]

Brazil is a member, and all we have are a few stamp sized mall rinks.

[crzesk8dad]

Speaking of 'developing skating' countries, I always love how half the ladies international field from Four Continents are from Costa Mesa, California.

You've never heard of "The People's Republic of California"?

[Ziggy]

So you don't even need one rink in the country to qualify for membership?

IIRC, you need one full-size rink, no?

Morocco - lots of French-Moroccan citizens in France so that's the team sorted
Grenada - some US skaters will surely have the roots
Cyprus - uhhmmmmm no clue here

Of course, it would be nice if those countries were actually working on developing skating programmes.

If they are, I am sorry. ;P

Oh and I also thought that Kirghiztan would be next in line given their skaters competed at a number of international events (how were they actually able to compete in ISU-sanctioned events if it's not a member???).

[fan]

From the posts above it sounds like all three of these countries have rinks.

I believe that a country does have to have at least one rink, and I don't even think it has to be a rink with ice in it all year. India is an ISU member and its federation is based in a town in the Himalayan foothills which has an outdoor rink in winter. I don't think there's a permanent rink anywhere else in the country.

The posts above only mention Rabat.I'm curious to know if Cyprus and Grenada have rinks

[acraven]

Morocco - lots of French-Moroccan citizens in France so that's the team sorted
Grenada - some US skaters will surely have the roots
Cyprus - uhhmmmmm no clue here

I believe Jonathan Cassar is of Maltese extraction. Why couldn't he be a Cypriot?

[allezfred]

I believe Jonathan Cassar is of Maltese extraction. Why couldn't he be a Cypriot?

Because Cyprus and Malta are located at opposite ends of the Mediterranean.