ISU Statement on Russia's war against Ukraine - Participation in international competitions of Skaters and Officials from Russia and Belarus

[Karen-W]

Does it? I will be extremely surprised if they (or any Chinese skaters) are there.

@Gris has made a few posts in the Chinese news thread that indicate Sui/Han and the rest of the Chinese team will be at Worlds. And there was a report (I think in the Dance Hall thread) about both Wang/Liu and Chen/Sun finally being allowed to return to Montreal for training after they complete the 2-week post-Olympics quarantine period at their national training center.

Regardless of what any of us think of Xi and the human rights abuses in China, the IOC hasn't recommended China be banned from international sporting competitions. Until that happens, I expect we will see Chinese athletes at major international competitions.

How will these events affect the Valieva doping investigation? RUADA will do nothing and WADA can’t do anything to follow up. The team medals may forever be decided.

Years and years and years. But, I suppose the ISU and IOC can now go forward with a silver/bronze medal presentation at Worlds for the USA and JPN so that those skaters at least have their medals. Fans need to start tweeting to all parties involved to make this happen since the only reason they didn't have a medal ceremony in Beijing is because they didn't want to have to give the Russians any medals ay all. Now they won't have to worry about that.

 

[Gris]

Does it? I will be extremely surprised if they (or any Chinese skaters) are there.

@Gris has made a few posts in the Chinese news thread that indicate Sui/Han and the rest of the Chinese team will be at Worlds. And there was a report (I think in the Dance Hall thread) about both Wang/Liu and Chen/Sun finally being allowed to return to Montreal for training after they complete the 2-week post-Olympics quarantine period at their national training center.

Regardless of what any of us think of Xi and the human rights abuses in China, the IOC hasn't recommended China be banned from international sporting competitions. Until that happens, I expect we will see Chinese athletes at major international competitions.

To clarify, I made my guess of S/H possibly going to Worlds based on the fact that they're training while being quarantined at the training base. Also Hongyi Chen said in a live in February that she "was assigned to Worlds but not sure if she would go in the end", so I assume at least they have some plan of sending skaters to Worlds. That's it, nothing is confirmed and I won't be surprised if Chinese skaters collectively withdraw in the end either, be it for politics or for C19 related reason.

 

[MarieM]

I'm glad they won't be there. Hope it will cut down on Christine Brennan and Phil Hersh badgering every skater to make statements about the invasion (or the doping). Maybe all the skaters should prepare statements ahead of time and issue them, then refer to their statements if asked about it during the competition.

Of course if there's a ceasefire in a week or two, do they change their minds?

OMG yeah for not letting certain journalists harrassing skaters. That is a plus!

Even if there is a ceasefire, the ban has to stay. And IMO it should be a lot more than just the "now".

 

[barbarafan]

Sad but totally expected. ISU did the right thing.

It feels as if the skating and ballet worlds have been reset to pre-1956, before the USSR participated in intl figure skating events…before the first Moiseyev and Bolshoi tours to the UK and US.

I’m just grateful that my dear husband got out of Russia last week & is back in my arms. (Long story but it took four tries and US Consulate help at Sheremetievo-Moscow airport to finally get him out. Russia used fake COVID excuse to keep him from boarding planes to the US.) But when will he see his parents & sibling families again (beside WhatsApp calls)? When will we see our son, daughter in law and grandchild who is due to be born in mid-April…in Yalta, Crimea? They need to get the heck outa Dodge. All of them. Lives upended. Thanks a lot, Putin!
P.s. I’ve just copied this post to the snark thread in SekretSources, since most of this is personal. No need to respond, etc.

so glad he arrived in one piece. Love to you and to your whole family. Stay safe.

 

[thvu]

Even if there is a ceasefire, the ban has to stay. And IMO it should be a lot more than just the "now".

I agree. Russia should not be allowed to participate in any international sports until the country withdraws from Ukraine & any "breakaway" regions, unequivocally recognizes Ukraine's sovereignty & independence, returns Crimea, and leaves EU & NATO membership up to the government and people of Ukraine.

 

[barbarafan]

I can’t imagine other countries taking in athletes from Russia at this time.

I wish they selectively would. But foremost if there are still promising figure skaters within the Ukraine western skating schools should invite them and do some fundraisers to pay for their expenses. Russian PPL are not liking Putin's warmongering and are protesting. 6000 arrested. Imagine how many feel the same way but don't dare to do or say anything.

 

[Vagabond]

This isn’t just about 2022 either. Let’s say the invasion lasts for a very short time (I hope!) and Russian skaters can compete next season, can Russia somehow secure more than 1 worlds spot for next year through alternative means?

No, not even by annexing other countries!

 

[reut]

Answer from RuFed:
https://fsrussia.ru/news/6049-zayavlenie-federatsii-figurnogo-kataniya-na-kon-kakh-rossii.html

 

[skatfan]

NPR Article: https://www.npr.org/live-updates/ru...e-banned-from-this-months-world-championships

"Responding to the move, the Russian Figure Skating Federation said it is extremely disappointed, adding that it sees the ban as another sign of politics' influence in sports. It also complained that Russian athletes are suffering — but when the IOC issued its statement on Monday, it addressed that point by noting that Ukrainian athletes were also being sidetracked."

 

[Vagabond]

On the subject of Russian skaters switching Federations:

1. I presume that if the FSFR is suspended from the ISU, it won't be able to stop skaters from switching.
2. If the FSFR is not suspended, it still won't be able to stop young skaters who have yet to compete internationally from switching federations.

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

Answer from RuFed:
https://fsrussia.ru/news/6049-zayavlenie-federatsii-figurnogo-kataniya-na-kon-kakh-rossii.html

Seriously? Russia is claiming that this is discriminatory, politically motivated and against the spirt of the Olympic movement?

Clueless much?

 

[Vagabond]

Seriously? Russia is claiming that this is against the spirt of the IOC and politically motivated?

Russia has a culture of victimization, and the FSFR's statement is a good example of it.

 

[MsZem]

Well. I hope this means Loena on the podium

It really sucks for the Russian skaters, but it's the right decision.

Also, the title of this thread doesn't really communicate the salient point, which is the content of the statement. Though presumably we all know that by now...

 

[Dobre]

OTOH, we may see some skaters contemplating retirement stick around if suddenly their country earns extra spots.

I would think the change in scenario could definitely motivate some ladies who might be on the fence or thinking of getting out prematurely.

Also, boy did Peng & Jin's chances for a medal at Worlds just go up. Not that China was going to let them retire anyway. I think China will send their teams. They've done so the last two years, even with countries closing their borders to Chinese citizens prior to Montreal.

Sinitsina & Katsalapov were already a question mark, due to his injury issues, in dance so teams looking to stay in with the hope of a World title were probably already factoring that in. If Stepanova & Bukin are out longterm, that could change the entire 4-year outlook of the dance field for the young teams coming up, but it feels very premature to look far out right now.

I would be shocked if the absence of the Russian men changes anyone's plans in the men's event.

 

[skatingguy]

Also, the title of this thread doesn't really communicate the salient point, which is the content of the statement. Though presumably we all know that by now...

It's the title of the ISU statement.

 

[Colonel Green]

From the Canadian federation’s statement, apparently there was a formal push by other federations to have the ISU follow the IOC recommendation.

 

[Karen-W]

From the Canadian federation’s statement, apparently there was a formal push by other federations to have the ISU follow the IOC recommendation.

Yes, Skate Austria was public about it yesterday but I also saw that Polish Figure Skating was consulting with w couple of other feds about their position and would communicate with the ISU. I wouldn't be surprised if, like Skate Canada, they were privately pushing this yesterday.

 

[Dobre]

From the Canadian federation’s statement, apparently there was a formal push by other federations to have the ISU follow the IOC recommendation.

I assume the ISU heard plenty. We know they weren't leaning this direction on their own.

 

[BlueRidge]

I assume the ISU heard plenty. We know they weren't leaning this direction on their own.

Who is the ISU?

I thought it was the member federations.

 

[Sylvia]

Who is the ISU?

The ISU Council makes the decisions: https://www.isu.org/inside-isu/about/meet-the-team/isu-council/members

 

[BlueRidge]

The ISU Council makes the decisions: https://www.isu.org/inside-isu/about/meet-the-team/isu-council/members

And isn't the Council elected by the member bodies?

 

[overedge]

NPR Article: https://www.npr.org/live-updates/ru...e-banned-from-this-months-world-championships

"Responding to the move, the Russian Figure Skating Federation said it is extremely disappointed, adding that it sees the ban as another sign of politics' influence in sports. "

Bwahahaha. This from a country where so many heads of sports federations are friends/supporters of Putin.

 

[Bigbird]

Russia has a culture of victimization, and the FSFR's statement is a good example of it.

What did we really expect? This coming from a nation claiming that teeny tiny Ukraine was poised to ATTACK them. #extremeeyerollemoji.

 

[Sylvia]

And isn't the Council elected by the member bodies?

Yes.

From the INTERNATIONAL SKATING UNION CONSTITUTION and GENERAL REGULATIONS 2021:

Article 13
1. Elections – Eligibility for Election
a) Elections of the President, Vice Presidents, Council members, Technical Committee Chairs, Technical Committee members, the Disciplinary Commission Chair and Disciplinary Commission members shall be held only at Congresses every four years. The original term of office shall be for four years and all offices shall be deemed to be vacant immediately before the elections. Beginning with the 2014 Congress and subject to paragraph 3 of this Article, all elected Office Holders as listed above may serve for a maximum of three successive election terms. For the purpose of this provision, the terms 2014-2016 and 2016-2018 will count as one term. Any terms an elected official has served prior to 2014 will not count toward the maximum number of terms. Each “office” (President, Vice President, Council member, Technical Committee Chair, Technical Committee member, Disciplinary Commission Chair, Disciplinary Commission member) shall be counted separately meaning that by being elected for different offices the different maximum terms are being added.
b) To be eligible for election, a person must be:
i) A citizen of a country that is an ISU Member. Such citizenship
shall be decisive for the purposes of Article 16, paragraph 1,
Article 20, paragraph 2 and Article 25, paragraph 3;
ii) In the case of dual or multiple citizenship, the person standing for election must declare which citizenship is decisive within the meaning of paragraph i) above. Confirmation of the declared citizenship and approval of the candidacy by the respective,
declared ISU Member is required for validity;
iii) Such a person may not stand for further elections at the same
Congress under another nationality, not even with the approval of the respective declared ISU Member.

 

[MsZem]

It's the title of the ISU statement.

As with many ISU communications, it is distinctly uncommunicative.

 

[MacMadame]

Oh yes, do please let the MedusaRamen-haired Georgian Gorgon come back to the US. Can you imagine the media scrutiny she'd be under here?

^^ That's better.

PSA/USFS/ISI could not certify her as a coach. She could then only coach low-level skaters who weren't competitive at local comps.

But I very much doubt she'd come to the US. I am sure she has better options.

Also, I am pretty sure she is not a US citizen. She was only in the US for 6 years. That's a tight timeline for citizenship. Even if she got married to a US citizen which I don't think she did.

Sorry, some of these posts are much more than curiosity.

Maybe certain skaters/officials/coaches shouldn't have been so pro-Putin then. While some of them are innocent, doing only the bare minimum to get by or even speaking out about this situation, many more are completely complicit.

ETA this doesn't even get into the whole doping situation.

 

[Braulio]

I think h/k were retiring anyway.

I was a bit puzzled since Sara commented after the pairs free skate broadcast on Eurosport Spain that she (back then) was going to return to resume training

 

[aka_gerbil]

I was a bit puzzled since Sara commented after the pairs free skate broadcast on Eurosport Spain that she (back then) was going to return to resume training

Oh, I didn’t know that. So many people were saying the current Spanish teams were both retiring.

 

[Elka]

Answer from RuFed:
https://fsrussia.ru/news/6049-zayavlenie-federatsii-figurnogo-kataniya-na-kon-kakh-rossii.html

"once again demonstrates double standards" ???? Which double standards? Whataboutism?

 

[Aussie Willy]

Would it be possible for Tiff and Jon to skate for Australia if Russian approval became moot?

Well that would be interesting and after the last week would certainly give skating in Australia a high profile because it will probably p*ss people off and get lots of coverage for the the wrong reasons.