Decisions of the ISU Council: Stockholm Worlds (March 22-28) still on; Synchro Worlds cancelled; 2021 Grand Prix schedule/Beijing test event announced

Sylvia

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Starting a new thread with the latest Decisions of the Council document (Communication No. 2367) published by the ISU on 29 January 2021: https://www.isu.org/isu-news/news/1...update-on-isu-event-calendar?templateParam=15

The ISU Council met on January 28, 2021 via an online meeting. The following were among the [figure skating/synchro] decisions taken by the Council during the meeting.

the ISU World Figure Skating Championships remain scheduled as planned, to be held in Stockholm, Sweden on March 22-28, 2021. Since these Championships serve as a Qualification Competition for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, the Council will review the Olympic Qualification status at its next meeting [2 March]. Depending on the actual entries received by the deadline of March 1, 2021, the ISU Council will evaluate and decide at that time whether and which changes to the Olympic qualification system could be necessary.

Due to the ongoing pandemic and detrimental consequences for the organizing and participating ISU Members, including organizational issues, travel restrictions, lack of training and preparation time and finally the confirmation from many ISU Members that they would not be able to attend, the Council decided that the the ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships 2021, scheduled to be held in Zagreb (CRO) on April 9-10, 2021 are cancelled.

ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Calendar season 2021/22
The Council approved the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Calendar for the season 2021/22 as follows:
  • Skate America: October 22-24, 2021 TBA, USA
  • Skate Canada International: October 29-31, 2021 Vancouver, BC, CAN
  • Cup of China November: 5-7, 2021 Chongqing, CHN
  • NHK Trophy November: 12-14, 2021 TBA, JPN
  • Internationaux de France: November 19-21, 2021 Grenoble, FRA
  • Rostelecom Cup: November 26-28, 2021 Moscow, RUS
  • ISU Grand Prix Final: December 9-12, 2021 Osaka, JPN
Test Events for the 2022 Olympic Winter Games, Beijing
The ISU Council acknowledged that the previously cancelled Test Events have now been rescheduled to be held in the Olympic venues in Beijing as follows:
  • International Speed Skating Competition - October 8-10, 2021
  • Asian Open Figure Skating Trophy - October 13-17, 2021
  • ISU World Cup Short Track - October 21-24, 2021
Detailed information/Announcements will follow in due course.

The next online Council meeting is scheduled for March 2, 2021.
 
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tony

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Cross-posting from the other thread since this one is more focused on latest news:

Some more (small) details from behind the scenes:

-TES will be still valid of course from the 2020 season, and also any events early-on (Europe) that fulfilled the criteria of an international event. So Loena Hendrickx has her scores from an event in Budapest earlier this season, but cases like Vincent Zhou and Knierim/Frazier do not. AFAIK at this point, pulling back numbers from 2018/2019 season is not in the question for having achieved minimums.
-In the case of skaters not having attained it (K/F being new, Zhou because he's 0.18 short from 2020), the ISU has been floating the idea of having the technical committee review a submitted video and then determining whether they have achieved the level/score needed. I don't know how many other cases there are, but this is at least one option that has gained traction.
-As of now, seems to be no plan to adjust the TES scores up/down from what they were- but doesn't mean that won't change. Since there were so few actual competitions that counted towards the TES mins this season and the ISU knows what the rosters would've been at last season, I don't really think they will change it.
-Skate Canada as of now seems committed to sending a team, barring travel/domestic issues (also somewhat backed up by the protocols they published).
-No real details are known from Japan yet.

This is just stuff that I'm hearing from some of the more in-the-know people, so of course it can change.
 

Sylvia

It's Montreal Worlds week!
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Thanks, Tony - the proposed "review a submitted video" option sounds quite feasible to me:
-TES will be still valid of course from the 2020 season, and also any events early-on (Europe) that fulfilled the criteria of an international event. So Loena Hendrickx has her scores from an event in Budapest earlier this season, but cases like Vincent Zhou and Knierim/Frazier do not. AFAIK at this point, pulling back numbers from 2018/2019 season is not in the question for having achieved minimums.
-In the case of skaters not having attained it (K/F being new, Zhou because he's 0.18 short [in FS] from 2020), the ISU has been floating the idea of having the technical committee review a submitted video and then determining whether they have achieved the level/score needed. I don't know how many other cases there are, but this is at least one option that has gained traction.
...
This is just stuff that I'm hearing from some of the more in-the-know people, so of course it can change.
 

MacMadame

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The ISU Council apparently didn't think it was safe enough to hold their own meeting in person, but decided it's safe to run an in-person event with way more people involved, and in closer contact.
In a risk-benefit analysis, a greater benefit allows for greater risk. There is little benefit to having an in-person meeting about this so the risk has to be really small for it to be worth it. Also, meeting by Zoom is going to be the new norm even after YKW is under control because cutting down on international travel saves a boatload of money.

Also: :rolleyes:
 

missing

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Philip Hersh tweets the following:

Philip Hersh
@olyphil

·
1h

1 / In an indirect fashion, a statement I just got from
@USFigureSkating
affirms they intend to send athletes to the World Figure Skating Championships: The statement follows in next tweet:



“(continued) . . U.S. Figure Skating will continue to support the efforts of the ISU, local organizers and other participating federations with a focus on providing a safe competition for all participants."

Earlier, Reichert told me that the decision to go or opt out would be up to each individual skater or pairs/dance team.
 

Flip Jump

Well-Known Member
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Philip Hersh tweets the following:

Philip Hersh
@olyphil

·
1h

1 / In an indirect fashion, a statement I just got from
@USFigureSkating
affirms they intend to send athletes to the World Figure Skating Championships: The statement follows in next tweet:



“(continued) . . U.S. Figure Skating will continue to support the efforts of the ISU, local organizers and other participating federations with a focus on providing a safe competition for all participants."

Earlier, Reichert told me that the decision to go or opt out would be up to each individual skater or pairs/dance team.
I hope the ISU consults the USFS on running a safe competition and strict protocol is followed by all countries pre competition.
 

tony

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I hope the ISU consults the USFS on running a safe competition and strict protocol is followed by all countries pre competition.
The ISU doesn't need to consult the USFS and I'm not sure why any idea (even slight) that they wouldn't have a strict protocol is coming from- not just here but in other posts/places as well. They've had events in other (ice) sports running without incident.
 

anonymoose_au

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The ISU Council apparently didn't think it was safe enough to hold their own meeting in person, but decided it's safe to run an in-person event with way more people involved, and in closer contact.
Reminds me of how here in Australia the Prime Minister was insisting every school had to remain open and all children (even those who could stay at home) should have to go while shutting down Parliament.

Do as I say, not as I do indeed.
 

mjb52

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Sometimes it feels like a big part of this conversation is that some number of figure skating fans don't really follow sports. If you aren't aware of all the competitions that are happening all over the world, perhaps holding Worlds seems more surprising than it actually is.
 

tony

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The ISU Council apparently didn't think it was safe enough to hold their own meeting in person, but decided it's safe to run an in-person event with way more people involved, and in closer contact.
I'm going to second @MacMadame and :rolleyes: this. It's a meeting going over some quick topics. It's not a figure skating competition. Physical presence isn't required for any discussions. Would you rather every meeting be in person? This is such a weak attempt at a counter-point IMO.

Sometimes it feels like a big part of this conversation is that some number of figure skating fans don't really follow sports. If you aren't aware of all the competitions that are happening all over the world, perhaps holding Worlds seems more surprising than it actually is.
But the ISU itself has had events going on as an organization, as well as other sports around the world. But yes, I think a lot of comments come from people with a very narrow scope of what they pay attention to, and that probably makes me mean and horrible somehow for saying so. And then the argument that is given back is 'skating isn't the only thing that matters!!' Yes, we know. That's what we are pointing out by giving examples of other sports, including ISU stuff, functioning during this time.
 

overedge

Mayor of Carrot City
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Sometimes it feels like a big part of this conversation is that some number of figure skating fans don't really follow sports. If you aren't aware of all the competitions that are happening all over the world, perhaps holding Worlds seems more surprising than it actually is.

Each sport has its own rules and its own conditions. Worlds runs very differently from, say, a major competition in golf or football. If some sports are able to hold competitions or championships safely, that doesn't mean it's safe for all sports.
 

tony

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Each sport has its own rules and its own conditions. Worlds runs very differently from, say, a major competition in golf or football. If some sports are able to hold competitions or championships safely, that doesn't mean it's safe for all sports.
But the sports that are happening extent way past football or golf. The ISU has other competitions running without problems- there is a World Cup speed skating event happening as we speak... with Canadians.

There seems to be an argument from every single angle and if it's not being inside the ice rink, then it's suddenly getting from A to B and being in airports and public transportation-- which all of these sports are having to do at some capacity and which people have been doing safely. Not a single nay-sayer can make up their mind about which part is so worrisome and it just bounces around with every new post. So what is it that makes figure skating from any of these other sports, and what makes the narrow-scoped people come and argue that figure skating isn't the only thing that matters/the world shouldn't open for it, but they are seemingly unaware of how much else is going on anyways?

At this point, it's either you want the skating to potentially happen under strong safety measures, or you want to doom and gloom about every single facet of why you shouldn't leave your house.
 

missing

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Sometimes it feels like a big part of this conversation is that some number of figure skating fans don't really follow sports. If you aren't aware of all the competitions that are happening all over the world, perhaps holding Worlds seems more surprising than it actually is.

Japan withdraws from SheBelieves Cup, replaced by Argentina | The Seattle Times

The Japanese women’s national soccer team has withdrawn from the SheBelieves Cup tournament next month in Florida, citing the coronavirus outbreak in Japan.

Argentina will now join the United States, Canada and Brazil in the tournament, which runs from Feb. 18-24 at Exploria Stadium in Orlando. Argentina will take Japan’s spot in the schedule, opening with Brazil.


Australian Open tennis players begin to leave hotel after 2 weeks of quarantine.


Australian Open tennis players have started to leave hotel quarantine after two weeks of isolation, but those still confined to their rooms are expressing frustration on social media.

All players will be released between Thursday and Sunday as the clock runs down on each flight’s 14-day quarantine period. But those players in “hard quarantine” have been told they will have to wait an extra day to leave their rooms.


Don't Turn the Super Bowl Into a Super Spreader

Ideally, the game would be canceled or postponed, because that would save the most lives. But it is unrealistic to believe that the NFL, having resisted calls last summer to abandon the entire season, would now cancel the final contest to crown a champion. (A counterpoint: In the 1919 Stanley Cup Final, after the Seattle Metropolitans and the Montreal Canadiens had played five times and the series was tied 2-2 with one tie, the deciding game was canceled due to an outbreak of the flu pandemic, and no league champion was crowned.)...

That leaves a final viable option — a massive effort to persuade sports fans worldwide to watch the Super Bowl only with individuals who are already in their COVID “pods.” That obligation falls squarely on the NFL, every team, the NFL Players Association, broadcasting networks and the scores of corporate sponsors and advertisers. Starting immediately and continuing up until kickoff, they should work in concert to broadcast public service announcements with the stars of the league and other influencers asking everyone to watch the game from home.

If Colin Kaepernick can risk his playing career by taking a knee to protest racial injustice, then certainly those who profit from the Super Bowl can do everything in their power to save countless lives worldwide.


Full list of NBA games that have been postponed (21 games thus far in January)

Cactus League officials request delay of spring training


Major League Baseball is scheduled to open spring training camps in Arizona and Florida in less than a month's time. Yet on Monday, a Cactus League task force comprising the league's executive director and a number of Arizona government officials sent a letter to commissioner Rob Manfred requesting that spring training be delayed in response to the area's COVID-19 situation, which is one of the worst in the nation.

5 Golfers Out Of the 2020 Golfers Championship

COVID-19 is not going anywhere, and the PGA Tour has experienced that reality over the last week. Brooks Koepka and Webb Simpson, respectively the No. 4 and No. 5 players in the world, are among five golfers who have withdrawn from the 2020 Travelers Championship. Koepka and Simpson did so out of caution due to contact with someone who tested positive for the coronavirus.

I follow sports. I see no reason to believe others here don't.
 

skategal

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The Netherlands Speed Skating bubble should be very applicable to the Figure skating experience and as the ISU is head of both sports, any lessons learned coming out of the Netherlands could be more easily applied to the Figure Skating Worlds in Stockholm.
 

missing

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None of those events are cancelled. That's a list of events that are happening.
Happening or postponed or with significant athletes not attending or requests for postponements or anger on the part of athletes or concerns about what might happen because of the event happening. Which I knew about because I follow sports.

If you followed every one of those links and came up with a smiley face, you might want to change your name to Pollyanna52.
 

PRlady

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Whereas as a fan I’m selfishly happy to watch Worlds, I worry about the impact of absence on athletes who aren’t superstars like P/C. Coupled with the competitive urge to be there, FOMO might make some skaters go who really shouldn’t because they still have health problems or special risks or who have to fly a long, long way to get to Sweden.
 

Karen-W

Checking Senior Bs for TES mins...
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Happening or postponed or with significant athletes not attending or requests for postponements or anger on the part of athletes or concerns about what might happen because of the event happening. Which I knew about because I follow sports.

If you followed every one of those links and came up with a smiley face, you might want to change your name to Pollyanna52.
Everyone makes their own risk assessment. If they want to get upset at TPTB for choosing to continue with the event regardless of their participation then that says something about their own ego, doesn't it? BTW, I'm not saying there isn't ego or even arrogance involved in choosing to hold these events regardless of how many high profile athletes choose to not take the risk but, really, it only goes to show that no one is indispensable and life does, indeed, go on.
 

Sylvia

It's Montreal Worlds week!
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The Netherlands Speed Skating bubble should be very applicable to the Figure skating experience and as the ISU is head of both sports, any lessons learned coming out of the Netherlands could be more easily applied to the Figure Skating Worlds in Stockholm.
Re-posting the Announcement link here from the other thread:
For those who are worried about the ISU protocols, I invite you to take a look at the World Short Track Skating Championships team announcement. The bubble seems like it very closely matches the one the USFS had at both SkAm and Nationals. It states, explicitly, that all member delegations must have a negative PCR test before they're even allowed to enter the Netherlands, then another one once they arrive (hotel room isolation until the test results come back). They are providing all of the transportation to and from the airport and will not allow anyone to enter the bubble after March 1.
 

Braulio

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I love when the GPF of the Olympic Season takes place in Japan

Btw X-Games are taking part in Aspen right now. Alpine Skiing, Nordic Skiing and Biathlon will celebrate their world championships this february-march

WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, doesn't matter open/closed events their logistic is the same, gathering hundreds of athletes, coaches, from all over the world
 
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screech

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I honestly think they should set up official competition centres in central locations around the world (cities where a lot of skaters already train), have ISU certified videographers go to each location to record the skating, then the judges judge 'live' as the recorded performances are aired. Along the lines of how Skate Canada did Challenge.
They could have a recording centre in Montreal, one in Toronto, one in LA, one in Colorado, one in Moscow, etc. It would allow people to travel less, minimize the need for quarantining, have less chance for the virus to spread, and could still allow for Worlds to go ahead. It wouldn't be perfect, and it wouldn't be 'the same', but it could be effective.
 

Carolla5501

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The ISU Council apparently didn't think it was safe enough to hold their own meeting in person, but decided it's safe to run an in-person event with way more people involved, and in closer contact.
Or possibly, like a lot of companies, they discovered that it’s a lot cheaper to do this remotely and we really didn’t all need to get together all the time. I think you’re going to see that this trend continues even after we hopefully someday get Covid under control
 

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