Fumie Suguri failed to qualify for Japanese Nationals again

[Kelvster]

oh in that case, time to look for a country, fumie!!! if another olympics is what she wants (but then she'll have to give up japanese citizenship)

[ratatouille]

I don't think she has any sponsors. She was looking for sponsors a while back - it was lack of sponsorship that caused her to withdraw from Finlandia last year. I think it was last year, anyway; it could have been the year brfore. Anyway, it was reported that she couldn't afford to go on her own, couldn't find a sponsor, and had to withdraw.

She actually found one after that if I'm not wrong. That's why she's able to continue skating up till now. Her sponsor is the company she works for I think. I read somewhere that she is injured and is thinking of retiring. She didn't mention about the oly.

[Vagabond]

Does the minimum score rule apply to the Olympics?

Not as of now. It's possible that the ISU could make it apply next season. I suspect that they will take a look at the whole idea behind the rule after they see how it plays out for this season's ISU Championships.

[barbk]

I thought that sports federations had to submit Olympic qualifying criteria by now? Last Olympics it had to be set quite a bit before the games.

[Rob]

She could look for a country that has qualified 2 spots but only has 1 skater.

[dawnie]

That was the 2009 season. She came back to win the free skate at Nationals and medal there, and placed top ten at Worlds after missing Worlds for 2 seasons. That was another chance for her to leave on a high note.

I was in the arena at those Worlds and I had a good view of Michelle Kwan in the NBC booth during Suguri's free skate. I noticed that whoever went before Suguri, Kwan didn't pay much attention to but she was intently watching Suguri's LP. I honestly think watching one of her contemporaries compete against the likes of Kim, Asada, etc, was one of the reasons she didn't make a comeback attempt. I think it's too bad Suguri still hasn't had her reality check.

Seriously though, has Shizuka blacklisted her from shows or something? And what about coaching? I'm sure she would be in-demand as a former Olympian and World Medalist.

[Carolla5501]

Could she compete for some random country like Madagascar?

Possibly

yes, but if she wants to go to Sochi does it mean she has to sit out a season?
or are there complicated rules like she can't do that because she competed for japan at the olympics before?

The more complicated rule is the citizenship rules of Japan. It's not a country that allows dual citizenship. So she would have to renounce her current citizenship. Not a step to be taken lightly!

The sad thing is comparing her to another skater being discussed on here that I think is nearing the end of her competitive career. If Rachel Flatt says "this was it" then she seems well equipped to take the next step in life (see Michelle Kwan) Fumie seems poorly equipped to move on, maybe she has no other "dreams" Sad. I don't think she will be in Sochi. Too many good ladies in Japan out there right now....

[poths]

Isn't she the one who drove her family into bankruptcy trying to continue skating?... I'm all for someone continuing to skate just because they love it, but she is never going to be a viable contender for anything, ever again. When was the last time she had an international assignment, or even a national one that wasn't just trying to get to Japanese nationals?

This is what I hate most about the sport. How can someone who was top ten in the world for a decade, won multiple world medals, placed top 5 in the Olympics twice and bring a paying audience to the sport be BANKRUPT? The economic reality of 'amateur' skaters be so bleak? The ISU kick you out of competitions if you make money on the pro circuit but give minimal reward to athletes who reach the top of the sport. It's sad.

[kwanfan1818]

A twice silver medalist at GP with a fourth place finish at GPF, a bronze at 4C's or Euros, and a 6th at Worlds would gross ~ $47K/year, which, even for skaters whose training/costumes/living expenses/PT/dance lessons/Federation cut (if applicable) cost less than $100K/year, leaves the skater at a deficit each year, even when among the top skaters.

[marysy]

^ Yikes, that's a bleak picture. Surely there are shows that do pay eligible skaters to appear -- i.e. Yuna's show, some of the ones in Europe, even Disson shows have had eligible skaters in recent years. Any guesses as to how much those pay? And what are the limitations to how much a skater can be paid in order to stay amateur and not be sanctioned by the ISU?

[mag]

I think that endorsements are where the real money is, and that is only for very few. I suspect Mao and Yuna do well with endorsements and probably Plushenko. There are probably others, but not many from the current eligibles.

[gkelly]

And what are the limitations to how much a skater can be paid in order to stay amateur and not be sanctioned by the ISU?

The amount of money has nothing to do with it. What matters is whether whatever the skater is getting paid for is sanctioned or approved by the ISU or the skater's national governing body (they may take a percentage).

The thing that would never be sanctioned is a competition run by anyone other than the ISU or its member federations, especially commercial sponsors (pro competitions).

Also there are some restrictions on when a seeded skater is allowed to appear in outside events like shows if they're expected to compete in the Grand Prix (or ISU championships? or federations could restrict appearances according the timing of their nationals?)

But basically skating is not a professional sport and it is not likely to earn a profit from competing in competitions. At best, a handful of very successful top skaters might win enough prize money to cover their expenses and come out ahead, and others who are seen as having potential to win international competitions might be able to attract funding from national federations, Olympic committees, etc., and/or those who have already developed enough of a name or can be expected to do so, and there might earn funding from commercial sponsors who can use interest in the skater to attract customers and goodwill.

[Marco]

She could look for a country that has qualified 2 spots but only has 1 skater.

Georgia is a possibility!

[midori]

Isn't she the one who drove her family into bankruptcy trying to continue skating?...

I don't think her family went bankruptcy or anywhere near that. The news we got was that her family does not afford to keep funding her skating and Fumie was looking for a sponsor. Then she found a sponsor.

That is very different from "bankruptcy."

[chrysanthemum]

Has she had issues with injuries? I liked watching her but haven't kept up with her recently; any particular reason her skill level diminished (so suddenly, it seems)?

According to her blog (http://ameblo.jp/fumie-suguri/entry-11397363682.html), she has boot problems. She wrote that her right boot was on the verge of breaking down in the competition. She received new boots only three days before the competition, and it was too late. So, she wasn't able to use the new boots in the competition and used her old boots.

I liked watching her, too. So sad for the current situation...

[Excidra]

Oh lord.

Should we stage an intervention?

[PeterG]

I don't think her family went bankruptcy or anywhere near that. The news we got was that her family does not afford to keep funding her skating and Fumie was looking for a sponsor. Then she found a sponsor.

That is very different from "bankruptcy."

Wonder if whoever posted about bankruptcy works for Fox news!

Oh lord.

Should we stage an intervention?

We could do that. Or wait for her to break in new boots. But your idea has a lovely hysterical dramatic flair to it.

[Garden Kitty]

I don't know what else Fumie is doing with her life. Someone mentioned that her sponsor was the company she works for. It's possible that she has other things going on, but likes to compete and mixes her skating with the other things she does. In any event, I wish her all the best, I always liked Fumie and enjoyed seeing her skate.

[CantALoop]

Not being facetious, but even if she was able to find another country, at this point would she even meet the minimum technical element scores?

[pinky166]

Georgia is a possibility!

One of the Russian ladies would be better off switching to Georgia...it's close to Russia and part of the former USSR. I think it would be harder to swing for someone Japanese.