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

[coppertop1]

I have thought more than once how enjoyable FS has been without the Russians. Like the sport was able to breathe, after a long time of not being able to do so. Like a new landscape became available for exploration.

I feel like we have all been fed the narrative of his great the Russians are but when you take a closer look, they're not as great as we've been lead to believe. Women's figure skating this season was wide open and it was refreshing and much more exciting. That's how a competition should be

 

[Karen-W]

I feel like we have all been fed the narrative of his great the Russians are but when you take a closer look, they're not as great as we've been lead to believe. Women's figure skating this season was wide open and it was refreshing and much more exciting. That's how a competition should be

The same can be said about pairs - and I think this newfound wide-open opportunity is reinvigorating the discipline, even if most teams were only trying SBS 2Ss for the first 3/4 of the season.

 

[coppertop1]

The same can be said about pairs - and I think this newfound wide-open opportunity is reinvigorating the discipline, even if most teams were only trying SBS 2Ss for the first 3/4 of the season.

Definitely. Japan could be a major player in pairs and Italy has become very strong. Canada and the USA are solid. It all makes for an exciting competition

 

[SidelineSkater]

The best thing out of all of this, is that we're saved from those terribly tacky costumes. Ok, that's just a by-product of the ISU doing the right thing.

 

[Willin]

I think it’s a lot more fun to go into competitions with no idea who will win - and it’s a lot more fun when the winner does win because it feels like a win. With the Russian ladies I felt so gaslighted. Every competition felt like a predetermined farce. Pairs didn’t feel that way as the Russian pairs were clearly superior, but I have enjoyed seeing more pairs.

On a more aesthetic note, I hate how Russian skaters stick to balletic warhorse after balletic warhorse and “out of their comfort zone” is a ballad or slow song. The few times they’ve tried otherwise have been awful. Therefore I find the programs being put out a lot more entertaining beyond the results.

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

Their skating pals, apart from Belarus, aren't going to jump to forming another "Union" - Georgia profited tremendously this season with the Russians out and China is definitely back in the ISU fold, between Beijing hosting the GPF and Shanghai hosting 4CCs next season.

In the Russian piece posted by I think Sylvia one of the interviewees suggested they may hold their own alternatives to Worlds, 4 Continents, etc. Though, maybe just clutching to Make Russia Great Again. Like you say, if they host a party who will come?

 

[Dobre]

In the Russian piece posted by I think Sylvia one of the interviewees suggested they may hold their own alternatives to Worlds, 4 Continents, etc. Though, maybe just clutching to Make Russia Great Again. Like you say, if they host a party who will come?

The same people who attended this year? (A mix of amateur & professional Russian athletes and a TV channel willing to host a cheesefest).

 

[coppertop1]

I think it’s a lot more fun to go into competitions with no idea who will win - and it’s a lot more fun when the winner does win because it feels like a win. With the Russian ladies I felt so gaslighted. Every competition felt like a predetermined farce. Pairs didn’t feel that way as the Russian pairs were clearly superior, but I have enjoyed seeing more pairs.

On a more aesthetic note, I hate how Russian skaters stick to balletic warhorse after balletic warhorse and “out of their comfort zone” is a ballad or slow song. The few times they’ve tried otherwise have been awful. Therefore I find the programs being put out a lot more entertaining beyond the results.

The Russians have always been a force in pairs. We didn't really see M/G or B/K that much this past Olympic quad because of the pandemic.

Without the Russian girls, it was getting so predictable. Every two years, another Eteri girl would come along and dominate, just two be replaced by another girl two years later. It felt stale. There's no point getting invested in them when we knew they won't be around for very long. I feel like seeing the comebacks this season really shows how much seeing a skater be able to come back from injury and adversity makes people root for them

 

[Rob]

As much as I like the Russians, I’m hoping this break will make the judges take a look at things like slapping the whole blade in the ice in jumps. Probably too Much to ask for.

 

[caseyedwards]

I think it’s a lot more fun to go into competitions with no idea who will win - and it’s a lot more fun when the winner does win because it feels like a win. With the Russian ladies I felt so gaslighted. Every competition felt like a predetermined farce. Pairs didn’t feel that way as the Russian pairs were clearly superior, but I have enjoyed seeing more pairs.

On a more aesthetic note, I hate how Russian skaters stick to balletic warhorse after balletic warhorse and “out of their comfort zone” is a ballad or slow song. The few times they’ve tried otherwise have been awful. Therefore I find the programs being put out a lot more entertaining beyond the results.

What’s the difference between which Russian and now you have Japan or korea? The judges have a fanatical devotion to Japanese skaters

 

[ChelleC]

The Japanese and Korean skaters have better skating skills, and better jumps than the Russians. The programs are not copy and paste Danny G choreography. Oh and the Japanese and Korean skaters have much better longevity than the Russians, Tuktamysheva being the exception to that of course.

Also the Japanese and Korean skaters are clean.

 

[caseyedwards]

The Japanese and Korean skaters have better skating skills, and better jumps than the Russians. The programs are not copy and paste Danny G choreography. Oh and the Japanese and Korean skaters have much better longevity than the Russians, Tuktamysheva being the exception to that of course.

Also the Japanese and Korean skaters are clean.

All the Japanese skaters do what Michelle kwan would have done in 1999. It’s All Lori nichol. They do not have harder jumps they may be better sometimes in technique sometimes but not harder. But even miyahara puts the lie to that with her tiny tiny jumps and and then all the under rotation of murakami. Can’t forget Asada technique so bad she had to drop jumps.

 

[PRlady]

Phil Hersh tweet on ISU revenue issues: https://twitter.com/olyphil/status/1668340844229967873?s=46&t=9ftgyoBTKejM44oWnhroXA

 

[Debbie S]

And Meagan Duhamel's tweet in response: https://twitter.com/mhjd_85/status/1668432376190386176

 

[Vagabond]

And Meagan Duhamel's tweet in response: https://twitter.com/mhjd_85/status/1668432376190386176

Duhamel seems not to understand that you can't spend money that you have lost.

 

[MacMadame]

Duhamel seems not to understand that you can't spend money that you have lost.

Yeah, that tweet made no sense. But neither did some of the responses. (Ask Oprah? )

 

[Debbie S]

Yeah, that tweet made no sense.

No, it didn't but the sentiment was spot-on (I suspect she wasn't trying to be logical).

 

[Rob]

Duhamel seems not to understand that you can't spend money that you have lost.

Maybe she meant, let them back in, strip them of the gold medal, and take their million from next year to use for the nice medal ceremony. Sarcastic of course.

 

[once_upon]

I figure it could be a tongue in cheek - we will make Russia pay for the medals (kind of like Mexico will pay for wall,? Russia will pay for the medals?)

 

[Vagabond]

Maybe she meant, let them back in, strip them of the gold medal, and take their million from next year to use for the nice medal ceremony. Sarcastic of course.

That's a charitable interpretation.

 

[VGThuy]

Phil Hersh tweet on ISU revenue issues: https://twitter.com/olyphil/status/1668340844229967873?s=46&t=9ftgyoBTKejM44oWnhroXA

Interesting, so basically the revenue lost from the ban is pretty much nothing. There goes that "logical" argument to keep Russia around.

 

[caseyedwards]

that conflicts with what has been said for years about why Russia has success in skating. I guess if it wasn’t money it was all merit!! Great

 

[MacMadame]

that conflicts with what has been said for years about why Russia has success in skating. I guess if it wasn’t money it was all merit!! Great

No, it doesn't. No one said they only had success because they gave the ISU money for broadcast rights.

 

[tennellicious]

The Japanese and Korean skaters have better skating skills, and better jumps than the Russians. The programs are not copy and paste Danny G choreography. Oh and the Japanese and Korean skaters have much better longevity than the Russians, Tuktamysheva being the exception to that of course.

I can't stand the Russian girls and don't miss them at all, but let's be fair here: the Korean ladies programs are the DEFINITION of cut and paste. very ornate blingy dresses, warhorse music, and generic pretty choreography. The American ladies are be a much better example.

And of course the Japanese ladies programs are much better, even if I didn't like Kaori's long program much

 

[tennellicious]

Duhamel seems not to understand that you can't spend money that you have lost.

Meagan is so weird on twitter, the majority of her tweets are totally on point, but then every so often she's being a total Karen about something random

 

[EdgyIceMarks]

It seems informative to have the full ISU Financial Report linked here for reference.

https://www.isu.org/inside-isu/financial-and-other-reports/report-of-the-statutory-auditor/31359-2022-financial-report/file

 

[Karen-W]

Interesting that, per this interview with the Lithuanian Skating Fed's president, he reports the ISU Council's vote to maintain the ban was unanimous.

“The suspension of Russian athletes does affect the ISU budget and the level of certain disciplines. But there is no intention to bring them back. We warmly welcome this decision.” President of the Lithuanian Skating Union Vytautas Jasutis

President of the Lithuanian Skating Union Vytautas Jasutis spoke about the the transfer of the venue for the 2024 European Championship to Kaunas and supported the suspension of the Russian team.

fs-gossips.com

 

[Alilou]

Interesting that, per this interview with the Lithuanian Skating Fed's president, he reports the ISU Council's vote to maintain the ban was unanimous.

“The suspension of Russian athletes does affect the ISU budget and the level of certain disciplines. But there is no intention to bring them back. We warmly welcome this decision.” President of the Lithuanian Skating Union Vytautas Jasutis

President of the Lithuanian Skating Union Vytautas Jasutis spoke about the the transfer of the venue for the 2024 European Championship to Kaunas and supported the suspension of the Russian team.

fs-gossips.com

Yes I read that and immediately wondered about the Russian member of the council lol. I wonder if he was even there.

 

[Sylvia]

First of 3 tweets by Global Athlete today (June 15): https://twitter.com/GlobalAthleteHQ/status/1669253459189682176

We share this open letter to amplify athletes’ calls for the IOC to uphold the suspension on Russia & Belarus.
Since the initial suspension in 2022, the death toll & atrocities in Ukraine have only continued to mount @iocmedia
Support the letter http://globalathlete.org/supportukraine
1/3

“Despite much condemnation of the January statement from athletes, international ministerial representatives, and the European Union, the IOC has not changed its position nor responded to the criticism.” Open Letter 2/3 [direct link]

Open Letter to the International Olympic Committee — Global Athlete

Open Letter to the International Olympic Committee. Athletes call on the IOC to suspend Russia and Belarus from international sport.

www.globalathlete.org

“The @iocmedia has promulgated the idea that a ban on Russian & Belarusian athletes constitutes discrimination based on nationality in violation of the Olympic Charter & a recent UN resolution. This… is misleading & fails to capture the nature of Olympic sport” 3/3

 

[SkateFanBerlin]

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