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

[tony]

Will they? I thought the ISU changed it a few years ago so that with only 1 entry the most spots you can earn is 2.

No. Top 2 spot with only one entry still means 3 spots for the next Worlds. Of course, those 3 entries need to hit TES minimums, which is why Tursynbaeva’s 3 earned spots went to 0 at 2021 Worlds.

 

[aka_gerbil]

Probably more a question for the dance hall, but who would be potential partners from the US and/or France?

 

[Theatregirl1122]

Will they? I thought the ISU changed it a few years ago so that with only 1 entry the most spots you can earn is 2.

I think you are thinking of the Olympics rules?

 

[Vagabond]

The Israelis finally learned Russia and Ukraine are not the same country. Now they have to deal with the fact most of us immigeated from the USSR which made it the same country. Confused? So they are

This American is confused too.

One of my grandmothers was born in Nizhny Novgorod, apparently lived at some point in what is now Ukraine, and then came to America. My other three grandparents were born in what is now Ukraine but was then the Russian Empire. My paternal grandparents spoke Russian with each other; my maternal grandparents spoke Yiddish. I have thought of myself as a Jew or a Russian Jew. I originally identified my ancestry as Russian on the U.S. census but identified myself as both Russian and Jewish in 2020. Sometimes, though, I refer to myself as "Jukrainian." I have never had taken any DNA tests, but my appearance suggests that I am of Jewish, Russian, and Ukrainian ancestry.

I don't honestly know what I would say if I were completing that census form this year instead of two years ago.

 

[MacMadame]

My ancestors on my maternal grandmother's side were supposedly from Slovakia. According to Ancestory.com, they are from Poland. I suspect that just means that came here via Poland. OTOH, Slovakia has been part of so many countries over the years so who knows if the part my ancestors were from is in what is now called Slovakia?

And we won't mention how the Slovak Republic/State was basically an arm of Nazi Germany, okay?

 

[Dobre]

But she's not really very good, and without Russia to give them a boost...

It would not be easy. I think Carreira & Ponomarenko are obviously not scoring at their potential this season, and presuming that they will be in the future, it would not be easy.

She'd still have Shpiband to give her a boost in the politics department. It's just that the trifecta of Shpilband + the Russian Fed + Eteri would not exist.

I happen to like Diana. I don't think anything about Smolkin as a skater, though I appreciate that he's made quite a commitment by moving to the U.S. at such an early stage of the partnership. Plus, he seems to have helped her fend off the press at the Olympics. Being a good partner off the ice can be just as valuable as on the ice so that's a plus in his favor.

Probably more a question for the dance hall, but who would be potential partners from the US and/or France?

The most likely potential partners I can think of are both Russian. Does this rumor say the new partner is not? (It's been all of a number of days since Russian athletes were banned).

 

[Allskate]

This American is confused too.

One of my grandmothers was born in Nizhny Novgorod, apparently lived at some point in what is now Ukraine, and then came to America. My other three grandparents were born in what is now Ukraine but was then the Russian Empire. My paternal grandparents spoke Russian with each other; my maternal grandparents spoke Yiddish. I have thought of myself as a Jew or a Russian Jew. I originally identified my ancestry as Russian on the U.S. census but identified myself as both Russian and Jewish in 2020. Sometimes, though, I refer to myself as "Jukrainian." I have never had taken any DNA tests, but my appearance suggests that I am a creole of Jewish, Russian, and Ukrainian ancestry.

I'm in a similar situation, with Poland and "Germany" in the mix. I have Jewish ancestors immigrating to the U.S. going back to great great great grandparents and even some of them would change what they put on the census over the years. It gets even more complicated because some of them moved to another country before moving to the U.S.. I think any DNA test would just tell me that I'm an American of Ashkenazi Jewish ancestry.

Identity is complicated. Merely occupying a country or annexing a country isn't going to change a person's identity. French people didn't consider themselves German just because Germany occupied France during World War II. Even if Russia takes Ukraine militarily, I think most people who currently identify as Ukrainian will continue to identify themselves as Ukrainian.

But, I think it is pretty clear that some skaters change their official nationality because it is better for their skating career, not because of how they really identify.

 

[Mme Bovary]

I've read on Twitter that TSL are circulating rumors that they are both in the US and that she's either getting or already gotten a new partner.

Annabelle Morozov? Really? I haven’t read anything that would imply she is changing partners. Interesting.

I think it would be nice to see most of the current Russian skaters continue competing, especially under different flags.

 

[starrynight]

I think it would be nice to see most of the current Russian skaters continue competing, especially under different flags.

If this ban is long term (which it probably will be) I can see Russia holding its own internal competitions before it releases skaters that are currently famous. I don’t think the Russian Federation would ever agree to release its skaters to the Evil West. For a currently popular skater they’d basically have to do the equivalent of defecting.

It’s quite something to think that this Olympics was likely the last time Valieva, Trusova etc will skate internationally. A pity it wasn’t more of a happy memory for them. I am personally sad that I likely won’t get to see Tuktamysheva skate internationally again, but at least she had a good long career to look back on.

 

[aka_gerbil]

ISU can do an override in special circumstances, so I think anyone who could find another country to skate for, the ISU could clear it. I think the actual bigger issue would be physically leaving Russia.

As for the domestic competitions, will there even be the money for it? Will there be ice? A lot of these skaters use foreign boots and blades, will those even be available?

 

[starrynight]

As for the domestic competitions, will there even be the money for it? Will there be ice? A lot of these skaters use foreign boots and blades, will those even be available?

This would depend on how skating is prioritised in the government’s budget going forward.

As for boots and blades, I don’t think these are sanctioned, but brand name elite level ones could get very expensive with the exchange rate and perhaps in shorter supply.

 

[Karina1974]

She might come here but I'm not sure, after the way things went down at the Olympics with her team, that she'll be all that welcomed by the USFS unless she promises to clean up her act.

I was just thinking that. Between the fiasco in Beijing and the recent USAG scandal (going beyond Nassar to the focus on certain coaches' coaching styles, including the Karolyis) I really think she's going to have a hard time finding young pupils whose parents would be cool with having her as their kid's coach.

 

[Vagabond]

If this ban is long term (which it probably will be) I can see Russia holding its own internal competitions before it releases skaters that are currently famous. I don’t think the Russian Federation would ever agree to release its skaters to the Evil West. For a currently popular skater they’d basically have to do the equivalent of defecting.

Banned means banned. If banned, the FSFR would not have the standing to "release" its skaters or not release them. The skaters would be in the same situation as skaters from any other country that did not have a Federation recognized by the FSU (like Angola, for example).

 

[rfisher]

I expect worrying about the federation to leave Russia is the least of their worries. Leaving might well become defecting which means you can never go back and live. Teenagers are not likely to be able to do that and leave their families to face the consequences. A lot of you are thinking West while Russia may well be returning to days of the 1960s USSR.

 

[Tahuu]

Putin seems to have made up his mind to occupy Ukraine and even take away its statehood, which means sporting sanctions will remain for a long time. Hope ISU would allow Russian skaters to compete as an independent or represent other countries next season with no waiting period and permission requirements.

It’s a tragedy to the Russian skaters if they can’t compete internationally and the sport’s advancement, especially in women’s, will suffer greatly.

 

[allezfred]

It’s a tragedy to the Russian skaters if they can’t compete internationally and the sport’s advancement, especially in women’s, will suffer greatly.

Meh, since we now know how the “advancement” came about on the women’s side I’m good with not seeing them for a while.

 

[jenny12]

Meh, since we now know how the “advancement” came about on the women’s side I’m good with not seeing them for a while.

Agreed. That “advancement” has been smoke and mirrors considering the doping and other training methods. I would have thought what happened in Beijing would have stopped this myth about the Russians being so much better. It would be a relief for me to see competitions without Russian women for a while.

 

[starrynight]

Banned means banned. If banned, the FSFR would not have the standing to "release" its skaters or not release them. The skaters would be in the same situation as skaters from any other country that did not have a Federation recognized by the FSU (like Angola, for example).

Thanks! I did not realise this. Yes that makes a lot of sense.

 

[aka_gerbil]

I’d rather see the Russian girls skate if it meant this invasion wasn’t happening.

 

[bladesofgorey]

I’d rather see the Russian girls skate if it meant this invasion wasn’t happening.

well, obviously. But either way I can't get behind incredible performances being the result of abuse.

 

[starrynight]

I think the problem for me as well is that at the Olympics we saw how deep the skating program runs into the heart of politics and propaganda. It was just so ugly to see. The same kind of gaslighting and denial used about the doping test is being used to pretend nothing is happening in the Ukraine. It’s basically impossible to separate this out from the sport.

It’s likely that if they’d been allowed to compete at Worlds, Valieva would have been entered and we would have had the doping scandal/evil west part 2 and it would have been ugly against the backdrop of the Ukraine disaster.

 

[coppertop1]

Putin seems to have made up his mind to occupy Ukraine and even take away its statehood, which means sporting sanctions will remain for a long time. Hope ISU would allow Russian skaters to compete as an independent or

It’s a tragedy to the Russian skaters if they can’t compete internationally and the sport’s advancement, especially in women’s, will suffer greatly.

The Japanese women would like a word.i

 

[Amy L]

I don't call them ladiiiiezzzz for nothing! I'm going to miss the Russian pairs a whole hell of a lot more than the women. It's necessary, but I can still be sad about it.

 

[starrynight]

I’m not going to lie… the Russian ladies situation has been deeply deeply interesting. Although probably more due to off ice/coaching drama and the ever moving conveyer belt.

 

[coppertop1]

I’m not going to lie… the Russian ladies situation has been deeply deeply interesting. Although probably more due to off ice/coaching drama and the ever moving conveyer belt.

I was always more interested in the girls not coached by Tutberidze.

 

[caseyedwards]

The Japanese women would like a word.i

They were only advancing to keep pace with Russians! Everything is going to go backwards. There will be short programs with only triple double combos again!

 

[kwanfan1818]

I love(d) Medvedeva, Kostornaia, and Tsurskaya, and until Beijing, I loved Valieva. I don't consider all Tutberidze skaters the same.

 

[skatingguy]

They were only advancing to keep pace with Russians! Everything is going to go backwards. There will be short programs with only triple double combos again!

Do you think maybe we could go back to double-triple combinations in the short? That would be amazing.

 

[Trillian]

I love(d) Medvedeva, Kostornaia, and Tsurskaya, and until Beijing, I loved Valieva. I don't consider all Tutberidze skaters the same.

I agree, there’s been a lot of talent there, and a lot of variety in terms of style. Eteri’s had some beautiful skaters over the years, which is one of the reasons it’s been so hard to watch almost every last one of them end up broken.

 

[WanderlustTO]

It is what it is. I would have been more impressed if the ISU had previously found its voice when it came to doping.