Japan closing borders due to Omicron--GPF canceled

[Coco]

I heard on the NPR (?) that South Africa has one of the most sophisticated testing and monitoring (for variants) programs, so the commentators weren't surprised that the variant was first found in South Africa. It is probably on every continent.

 

[Rukia]

I heard on the NPR (?) that South Africa has one of the most sophisticated testing and monitoring (for variants) programs, so the commentators weren't surprised that the variant was first found in South Africa. It is probably on every continent.

Peter Hotez (a doctor/vaccine researcher in Houston) has echoed the same thought.

There are so many unknowns about this variant and the current situation, so I hope people will be cautious in the news they spread. But also get your vaccines and wear your masks. My aunt just died of this, and I can't help but think how preventable her entire situation was.

 

[DreamSkates]

Makes me wonder about the upcoming Olympics.

 

[screech]

As someone mentioned above thread, they could easily host ladies and pairs in Russia. And dance and men in Canada or USA, as most of the competitors in those 2 fields mainly train in NA.
Though that's if the competition cannot proceed as planned, and they wish it to take place.

 

[Karen-W]

As someone mentioned above thread, they could easily host ladies and pairs in Russia. And dance and men in Canada or USA, as most of the competitors in those 2 fields mainly train in NA.
Though that's if the competition cannot proceed as planned, and they wish it to take place.

For the senior events, yes, but this is not the case with the juniors (except in Pairs, of course).

4 of the 7 JGPF men are Russian, & 1 is Japanese; and 3 of the JGPF Dance teams are Russian. On the Women’s side... 2 US and 1 Japanese skater.

 

[jamesy]

US Nationals in Nashville? USFS may want to make arrangements to fly those cut-outs from Vegas to Nashville. Hope I’m wrong…

Now I'm imagining a plane full of cardboard cutouts each in its own seat.

 

[japanice]

If Japan is closing their borders to basically everyone except figure skaters, will the skaters get their own planes or something? I would imagine a carrier like Air Canada would cancel their flights to and from Japan.

Foreign carriers may or may not cancel flights, but the Japanese carriers will continue flying. Japanese citizens must be allowed in. Almost all the people on planes flying to Japan now are Japanese. People associated with the GP Final may have to change planes to Japanese airlines, but there will still be flights.

 

[~tapdancer~]

If we as a world, don't learn to live with this virus, which will always be here and producing variants, then we are doomed to live in this "locked down world". Vaccines will improve, treatments will come...we have learned to deal with many, many, deadly diseases and this politicizing fear-mongering has to stop. I hope it will. I am not a young person, I have been around for a while. So tired of people pushing the panic button mostly because of the constant social media coverage and propaganda news. We can still function as society when we learn to deal with it. And we can still have good things in the world, you control people by making them miserable. Hope is greater than fear but when you insist on crushing hope, fear will reign. Said my piece...

I have hope that GPF will go on and Olympics as well.

 

[Rukia]

If we as a world, don't learn to live with this *****, which will always be here and producing variants, then we are doomed to live in this "locked down world". Vaccines will improve, treatments will come...we have learned to deal with many, many, deadly diseases and this politicizing fear-mongering has to stop. I hope it will. I am not a young person, I have been around for a while. So tired of people pushing the panic button mostly because of the constant social media coverage and propaganda news. We can still function as society when we learn to deal with it. And we can still have good things in the world, you control people by making them miserable. Hope is greater than fear but when you insist on crushing hope, fear will reign. Said my piece...

I have hope that GPF will go on and Olympics as well.

Can you not right now? Fear and propaganda? People literally die from this. Good people. People who deserved better than to be told people were fear-mongering and not to be afraid. Not wanting people to die is not controlling them.

I'll probably just ignore this thread and be done after this, and I do think they can find a way to have the GP final and Olympics. But this ain't it.

 

[~tapdancer~]

Can you not right now? Fear and propaganda? People literally die from this. Good people. People who deserved better than to be told people were fear-mongering and not to be afraid. Not wanting people to die is not controlling them.

I'll probably just ignore this thread and be done after this, and I do think they can find a way to have the GP final and Olympics. But this ain't it.

I said my piece. I haven't engaged in this ever on this forum. But people die every day. It's what we do. You may think that's cold but it's truth. We haven't stopped the world from anything else that kills us. Life is meant to be lived while we still have it.
ETA: And I believe in vaccines, in helping third world countries with drinkable water and hygiene to prevent disease, in medicinal treatments for disease, in everything that increases quality of life.
The fear and propaganda I am referring to is making people feel they have to live in fear and isolation.
Suicide and drug overdoses are killing good people, too.

 

[carriecmu0503]

Can you not right now? Fear and propaganda? People literally die from this. Good people. People who deserved better than to be told people were fear-mongering and not to be afraid. Not wanting people to die is not controlling them.

I'll probably just ignore this thread and be done after this, and I do think they can find a way to have the GP final and Olympics. But this ain't it.

Forcing people to live in constant lockdown is controlling them. It has been two years now. Vaccine are widely available much of the world. It is time to learn to live with this virus. We can't live in a perpetual, never ending state of lockdowns. Forcing people to lose their livelihoods through never ending lockdowns is controlling. If people want to stay at home because they are afraid, that is fine, but forcing everybody to stay at home is controlling. It is even killing people due to making medical care for non-coved needs unavailable. At this point, with the wide spread availability in much of the world, it is time to let people live their lives. If people do not want to be vaccinated by choice, that is their choice, but it is time to stop controlling the lives of others because of those who choose not to be vaccinated.

 

[Prancer]

We have a forum where people can argue about COVID policies and politics to their heart's content. Please take that discussion there.

 

[~tapdancer~]

We have a forum where people can argue about ********* policies and politics to their heart's content. Please take that discussion there.

I understand...but imo it was relevant to the thread. I am just hoping the skating events can continue as we learn how to deal with *****. in pretty much everything.That's all.

 

[Mayra]

to Japan for protecting it's citizens.

As a fan I'd love the GPF to go on, but if it can't, then it's completely understandable. If anything this might give skaters something of a break before Nationals, Euros, and the Olympics.

 

[Doggygirl]

Peter Hotez (a doctor/vaccine researcher in Houston) has echoed the same thought.

There are so many unknowns about this variant and the current situation, so I hope people will be cautious in the news they spread. But also get your vaccines and wear your masks. My aunt just died of this, and I can't help but think how preventable her entire situation was.

@Rukia I am so sorry to hear about your Aunt. Sympathies to you and all who loved her.... this crud is just heartbreaking.

 

[Vash01]

IDK. 2020 Worlds was CXL just a week plus in advance, so it is possible it won't happen.

This is not March 2020.

 

[love_skate2011]

If GPF wont happen, it will basically be like an Equalizer
and the decision for qualifying for the Olympics will come down to Nationals.

Potentially Not good news for La Tuk, she needs a podium finish to cement her floundering 3rd hope.
by Nationals she will go head to head with Trusova, then will face Samodelkina, Muravieva, Petrosyan and more juniors that can outscore her when shes off.

I predict La Tuktamsyehva placing somewhere 4th to 7th.

This could be good news for Pvalyuchenko / Khodykin, as T/M and B/K have never skated both clean programs
I think one of them will be knocked off the podium, I think Tarasova / Morozov because they are the weakest mentally

This Good also for Sui/Han as they wont have a potential bad record of being beaten by a russian pair going to the Olympics.

Good for Sinitsina / Katasalapov, Sui/Han and Pavlyuchenko / Khodykin.
Bad Omen for Tuktamsyehva

 

[Coco]

Liza recently had an illness and missed training time. This is why, imo, her Rostelcom performance was not as strong as her earlier performances. If it is cancelled, I think she may benefit from not traveling to Japan and competing again so soon.

 

[love_skate2011]

Liza recently had an illness and missed training time. This is why, imo, her Rostelcom performance was not as strong as her earlier performances. If it is cancelled, I think she may benefit from not traveling to Japan and competing again so soon.

Tuk FS plumeted to 149 with some tiny glitches and triple axel step out, Tuk was outscored by a lanky and boring program of Kromykh in the FS.

All she can hope is that Trusova, if she shows up at Nationals doesn't come back with at least 3 quads.

This could be good only for Sui / Han and Sinitsina / Katsalapov

 

[tony]

Tuk FS plumeted to 149 with some tiny glitches and triple axel step out, Tuk was outscored by a lanky and boring program of Kromykh in the FS.

You keep throwing out 'plummeted' but she only was 2.5 points off her Skate Canada (and Finlandia) scores. That 3A negative GOE was enough to give her the lower score. So dramatic

 

[muffinplus]

You keep throwing out 'plummeted' but she only was 2.5 points off her Skate Canada (and Finlandia) scores. That 3A negative GOE was enough to give her the lower score. So dramatic

At least he didn't call Khromykh you know what...Can't hope for everything...

 

[love_skate2011]

You keep throwing out 'plummeted' but she only was 2.5 points off her Skate Canada (and Finlandia) scores. That 3A negative GOE was enough to give her the lower score. So dramatic

As I said before, Tuktamsyheva is a skater with a ceiling meaning every point counts for her, you just saw her being beaten by Kromokh, Tuk has never scored 154 in FS and she never will, with her current layout maybe a max 153 is the maximum they can prop up.

This is a problem for propping up a skater with a CEILING, she will need to hope for mistakes of others
Tuk may need Voodoo for Trusova?, Kostornaia, Samodelkina, Muarvieva, Petrosyan etc. At least Akatieva wont be there so thats one good news for her.

 

[love_skate2011]

At least he didn't call Khromykh you know what...Can't hope for everything...

The Stepsister is off as Kromykh has landed the quads more than one event.

 

[misskarne]

Center of the universe? Most people in the US have a vague notion of figure skating happening at the Olympics or went to an ice show once upon a time. I can say with complete assurance I am the only person at my place of employment, including 100s of students, who has a clue who Nathan Chen might be. Most of the country doesn't have an ice rink where skaters can train and those in the NE are focused on ice hockey which is much more well known.

I'll be charitable and assume you read my post in haste, or in exhaustion, or with wine, or some other factor, to produce this frankly baffling response.

Unless I am very not-sober, or very tired, if I mean the United States I will always correctly use the capitalised US.

In this case, as others noted, I was using a collective "us". For us, here, on this forum, figure skating is the centre of the universe. I am quite well aware that it is barely on the radar in the US.

At any rate, my question stands. Perhaps a comparison might be the Australian Open. It went ahead, but it was not a popular event with the general public, and many special exemptions were needed from government for it to do so. Would GPF be considered on that scale by the Japanese government? Or is it smaller, smaller and insignificant enough that it will not go ahead? I am aware that skating is bigger in Japan than nearly anywhere else, but that doesn't necessarily make it big enough.

And then of course there is the moral question - if the border is closed to everyone else, why should skating be the exception? Especially given the previously poor track record of some individuals with following protocol. As Jackie wisely pointed out on Twitter this morning, if by some miracle GPF does go ahead as planned, adhering strictly to the bubble protocols will be more important than ever.

 

[maatTheViking]

As Jackie wisely pointed out on Twitter this morning, if by some miracle GPF does go ahead as planned, adhering strictly to the bubble protocols will be more important than ever.

are you implying that Nathan should leave Raf behind?

 

[jamesy]

As Jackie wisely pointed out on Twitter this morning, if by some miracle GPF does go ahead as planned, adhering strictly to the bubble protocols will be more important than ever.

USFS will need to assign Raf a companion whose sole job is to keep him in the bubble.

 

[misskarne]

are you implying that Nathan should leave Raf behind?

Well, I am assuming Japan will have things better signposted...

 

[Carolla5501]

Actually I’m sitting here thinking for the United States skaters and skaters who train in North America canceling the final might not be a negative. You don’t have to make two trips to Asia in a period of about 60 days. That’s a very tough trip

 

[Vash01]

I am a big fan of FS, but it is certainly not a the center of My universe. Many things in my life take priority over it.

That said, I believe we don't have enough info about the new crud nor the situation in Japan. I feel confident that they will make the right decision after considering all factors. Tokyo 2020 (2021) Olympics was a success, even without the usual big crowds.

Further, the world has come a long way since March 2020. The pan*** was in its infancy. We (the world) have come up the learning curve to deal with it and other things. By no means we have perfected the response but we have learned a lot and decisions will be made with more information at hand. We won't be shooting in the dark.

So my take on this is - Let the dust settle down. Let the ISU and JSF figure out a way to safely hold this event, and if the risk is too great, they may cancel it. However that would be the extreme case. The JSF knows more than we do.

The world is still operating. There are flights within countries and internationally. Businesses are operating with some restrictions.

I have just returned from a trip to Hawaii, on a full flight. Restrictions were in place. For one year the islands were in complete lock down, even from one another. Now they have opened their doors, with restrictions. They do follow the rules there and those without full vacc are not allowed to enter. I am using this example to say that it is possible to live a somewhat normal life. We don't know how long we (public) have to endure this and there may not be an end to this. We adjust and cope with the situation. We don't have to cancel everything as soon as we hear of a new ***. We do need more information and plans based on it.

 

[Tavi]

Cohaix on GS just posted that per the attached article GPF will go forward in a bubble. Since I have no Japanese whatsoever, I’m taking Cohaix on faith but would welcome input from Japanese speakers here.

大阪でのフィギュアＧＰファイナル、開催に向け調整…バブル方式「準備進めていく」

【読売新聞】　スポーツ庁は２９日、大阪府門真市で１２月９日に開幕するフィギュアスケートの国際大会「グランプリファイナル」について、開催に向けて調整していく方針を明らかにした。 大会は選手らが外部との接触を避けるバブル方式で開催され、

www.yomiuri.co.jp