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

[alchemy void]

I really appreciate how many skaters and teams were able to qualify through this process and how many tried. Clearly, it wasn't just Knierim/Frazer who benefitted from the opportunity - 20 countries submitted entries, and some of the skaters/teams just missed out (Garcia, Montesinos Cantu, Crafoord/Crafoord, Alieva/Biktimirov, Lafond-Fournier/Kam).

Definitely. And I think the ISU deserves credit for offering and implementing this successfully. Also appreciate they provided these skaters with the judged protocol as well.

 

[Cherub721]

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.

I wonder if we'll hear anything about this today.

 

[seabm7]

I wonder if we'll hear anything about this today.

It's too soon. Maybe at the end of this week?

 

[Colonel Green]

Given the entry list and the ISU's obvious desire to hold Worlds as normally as possible, I wouldn't expect to hear of any changes.

The only thing that, at this point, might force a change is if there's a rash of people disqualified due to positive tests at the event itself.

 

[seabm7]

Here is the recent notice by the Swedish government:

Fler åtgärder för att minska smittspridningen — Folkhälsomyndigheten

Smittspridningen av covid-19 i samhället är fortfarande hög. Majoriteten av regionerna ser antingen en platå eller en ökning av antalet fall. För att vända utvecklingen krävs flera nya åtgärder och bättre följsamhet av de nationella allmänna råden. Uppdaterad 1 mars.

www.folkhalsomyndigheten.se

According to the google translation,

"No competition activities below elite level will be allowed. The exception for single matches for children born in 2005 and later is removed."

Is there anyone who knows what meant by the exception for 2005 and later born children and how it will affect the world entry?

 

[Frau Muller]

I hope that this doesn’t mean that nobody under the age of 18 can compete. If so then...great news for Tuk. Nugumanova would move up to the team; already 18. I doubt it, though. Why not make this clear before federations submitted their rosters?

 

[Colonel Green]

That would seem to be referring to activities taking place below the elite level, so no relevance to Worlds, which is elite.

 

[Karen-W]

That would seem to be referring to activities taking place below the elite level, so no relevance to Worlds, which is elite.

That's my interpretation also. Elite level is okay, regardless of age. But any non-elite events have an age ban for the time being.

 

[barbk]

That's my interpretation also. Elite level is okay, regardless of age. But any non-elite events have an age ban for the time being.

So weird. Their initial restriction (months back) was to freely allow all competitions for the young and prohibit them for adults.

 

[jamesy]

I guess we're now going to think of the (non-elite) children.

 

[Erin]

So weird. Their initial restriction (months back) was to freely allow all competitions for the young and prohibit them for adults.

I think what it is saying is that now they are banned for children in addition to adults, i.e. there was an exception for children and now there isn’t (it’s “removed” per google translate).

Anyway, I agree, irrelevant for Worlds, since it relates to non-elite competition.

 

[whiteskates]

No sports games are allowed now except on elite level. There used to be an exception for kids born in 2005 or later but as of March 1 this no longer applies but this rule refers to non elite level and won’t affect the world figure skating championships.

 

[insecureedge]

04 March 2021 Lausanne, Switzerland
Facebook Twitter
The ISU Council met on March 2, 2021 via an online meeting. The following were among the decisions taken by the Council during the meeting.
1. ISU Event Calendar Season 2020/21

a) ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2021
The Council confirmed that the ISU World Figure Skating Championships remain scheduled as planned, to be held in Stockholm, Sweden on March 22-28, 2021.

b) World Team Trophy 2021
Subject to the timely lifting of the state of emergency by the Japanese authorities and related confirmation that no quarantine for the participants shall apply, the Council acknowledged that the ISU World Team Trophy will take place on April 15-18, 2021 in Osaka,
<snip>
8. Olympic Winter Games 2022 Beijing - Qualification System Figure Skating
The Council noted that almost all ISU Members that have Skaters qualified for the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2021 have confirmed the entry of the Skaters to the Championships. The Council consequently confirmed the already published Olympic Winter Games 2022 Beijing - Qualification System Figure Skating, based on the results of the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2021 and the results of the Senior International Qualification Competition the Nebelhorn Trophy 2021, to be held on September 22-25, 2021 in Oberstdorf, Germany.

tdlr: 2021 Stockholm Worlds still on, 2022 Olympic Qualification System unchanged (Worlds + Nebelhorn)
Source: https://www.isu.org/isu-news/news/1...e-council-isu-event-calendar?templateParam=15

 

[Colonel Green]

Apparently the ISU thinks it’s safe to hold Worlds but not the ISU Congress.

 

[tony]

Apparently the ISU thinks it’s safe to hold Worlds but not the ISU Congress.

Same comment was made after the announcement of a previous virtual meeting. For which reason is an in-person meeting absolutely necessary?

 

[Colonel Green]

Pretty obvious double standard there. Why is one safe but not the other?

 

[LeafOnTheWind]

Because, as was stated before, it is easy to hold a virtual meeting and has a lot more to do with convenience and expense rather than safety.

 

[tony]

Pretty obvious double standard there. Why is one safe but not the other?

There’s no double-standard, but keep carrying on as if you’re somehow speaking for Skate Canada when you voice your concerns every chance you get.

The ISU needs to save money just as everyone else needs to do. They are working hard to make a safe event. There is zero reason to hold any meeting in person when Zoom has become so prevalent and I think that will be the direction many things go, far outside of skating, once things are back to normal.

Please tell me why an in-person meeting to decide a few key points is necessary.

 

[Colonel Green]

There’s no double-standard, but keep carrying on as if you’re somehow speaking for Skate Canada when you voice your concerns every chance you get.

You’re really fixated on the Canadian federation for some reason.

My concerns are my own.

 

[tony]

You’re really fixated on the Canadian federation for some reason.

My concerns are my own.

I'm not fixated on the Federation at all. I'm fixated on people that speak as if they have behind the scenes info yet it doesn't match up with anything else that some of the others on this board, also with their own credible sources, are hearing. Why you'd be concerned about a Zoom meeting versus an in-person quick meeting and/or Worlds happening when the rosters are full and the athletes want to go is beyond me.

I'm still asking why the meeting needs to be held in person.

 

[Colonel Green]

I'm not fixated on the Federation at all. I'm fixated on people that speak as if they have behind the scenes info yet it doesn't match up with anything else that some of the others on this board, also with their own credible sources, are hearing. Why you'd be concerned about a Zoom meeting versus an in-person quick meeting and/or Worlds happening when the rosters are full and the athletes want to go is beyond me.

I’ve never suggested I have behind the scenes information. One doesn’t need any to look at whether you think safety measures are adequate. This is all public.

I should think it would be obvious why a person might be concerned about Worlds happening — that “the rosters are full” is meaningless; you could say the same about all the provably unsafe competitions that have already been held this season.

 

[tony]

I’ve never suggested I have behind the scenes information. One doesn’t need any to look at whether you think safety measures are adequate. This is all public.

I should think it would be obvious why a person might be concerned about Worlds happening — that “the rosters are full” is meaningless; you could say the same about all the provably unsafe competitions that have already been held this season.

I don't understand why you refuse to look outside the figure skating bubble and realize how many things, sports definitely included, have been running successfully with precautions in place. Skate America and US Nationals ran with no problems, Japanese Nationals had skaters coming in from outside the country, no problems. Internationals have happened throughout the season without problems, and skaters from all over Europe were traveling to get to them. I don't need the example of one or two skaters coming down with CV - they could've gotten it by many means, just as every single one of us who chooses to leave our houses has that small risk.

I don't know whether I can clump you in with others who are hellbent on Russians ruining everything at Worlds or not (there are a lot of underlying comments that suggest this), but I guarantee that the ISU will issue strict reminders of what needs to be done and all of them will abide by those rules.

Now, if many other sports are capable of continuing on, why is figure skating so questionable? And still asking WHY you're comparing a very basic, quick meeting to Worlds?

 

[Colonel Green]

Now, if many other sports are capable of continuing on, why is figure skating so questionable?

Many other sports that have been holding international events have also been having YKW problems, for the record.

 

[Erin]

Apparently the ISU thinks it’s safe to hold Worlds but not the ISU Congress.

Every time this kind of thing happens, these statements are made and they just come across as ignorant. The decision to do something in person vs virtually is not strictly a decision of "is it safe?" It's a decision of "does this activity lose much (if anything) by doing it virtually?" ISU Congress does not lose much by doing it virtually. Worlds does. The ISU has decided that the risks of holding Worlds in person are worth the rewards of doing so, but not ISU Congress, where there really isn't as much benefit to the in person.

This isn't rocket science or some massive conspiracy to try to get all the skaters sick. It seems like many of the skaters themselves want Worlds to happen.

 

[Frau Muller]

Many other sports that have been holding international events have also been having YKW problems, for the record.

Sorry, Colonel Green, but you’re sounding like Colonel Grinch, as in The Grinch Who Wants to Steal Christmas (our Christmas being Worlds)!

 

[tony]

This isn't rocket science or some massive conspiracy to try to get all the skaters sick. It seems like many of the skaters themselves want Worlds to happen.

I typically don't mind Jackie Wong because he's just doing PBP of the events, but first with the Shcherbakova questions during Russian Nats and now Tweeting insinuating that skaters may be forced to go to Worlds, I just don't get why people like him, with high visibility, are trying to create further questions and have the people already protesting on Twitter start saying 'well skaters don't even want to go!'. I don't know every last skater, but I know enough that not one has said they don't feel safe going/don't want to go/are being forced to get Olympic spots. They've been training all year. If they are that worried about their health, they wouldn't have left their houses, they wouldn't have been in the rinks, they wouldn't have traveled to whichever domestic or international competitions happened, they wouldn't have traveled home for holidays, etc.

I'm sure all of these people complaining will still watch every last minute of the event.

 

[mjb52]

I'm disappointed in Jackie.

 

[Karen-W]

I'm glad I got rid of my Twitter. I wonder what the motivation behind the tweet from Jackie is - is he not able to attend or uncomfortable attending as a member of the media because the media health guidelines aren't as strict as the ones the athletes have? IOW - is the reason for it purely altruistic concern for the skaters?

 

[once_upon]

Apparently the ISU thinks it’s safe to hold Worlds but not the ISU Congress.

I think it has to do with the type of activity rather than a risk to someone else.

The state of the world since March 13th, 2020 to now has shown us that it is cost effective to hold international meetings via Zoom or other technology. Hotel costs,, travel costs,, time off from other work for a limited decision making task. But there are other activities that need to be done in person.

Now if they said all the athletes must attend live, but all the judges will be viewing remotely-that might be an argument to support your statement.

 

[Aceon6]

I just love how everyone is dissecting every sentence in every communication, looking for hidden meanings that support their personal views. I think the ISU is doing pretty much what any business would be doing... in person with rules and only if absolutely necessary, virtual for everything else. It’s not rocket science.