aftershocks
Banned Member
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People wonder why figure skating lacks credibility. Is it because all the governing bodies are singularly irresponsible...
Ah the problems are very complex, but I think that's because much of the skating community's mentality is stuck in outdated thinking. It's an elitist, niche sport which poses a set of problems related to insularity and slowness to tackle problems until they become full-blown controversies and/or scandals. Part of the issue is management of the sport's governing body as well as the sport's old-fashioned competitive structure. They are obviously trying to implement some changes among the ISU and among feds, but there are deeper issues never addressed, and constantly swept under the rug out of fear and complacency (i.e., the antiquated managerial tie to speed skating, a completely different sport). Meanwhile, as usual too much is being asked and expected of the athletes. The BOW criteria is one thing to announce and another thing for athletes and their coaches to understand how it will be applied under different podium scenarios.
US fed truthfully takes too much for granted. When presented with complaints and criticisms, they always fall back on excuses and defensive reactions against challenges to their authority. And the skaters themselves have absolutely no voice, even despite inclusion of athlete representatives on these various committees. Skaters learn from a young age that they have no power over any kind of decision-making that affects their careers. They only have power over what they do on the ice, and even then strictures are involved in what they must include in their programs, how their costumes look, etc.
I happen to believe that some effort should be made to review why the two sports have to remain tied at the hip managerially. Some effort should be made for long term study of ways to revolutionize the competitive structure. Why can't they judiciously bring in outside experts from other fields to help with analysis and problem-solving? Why don't they listen to coaches; why don't they listen to skaters and to fans, and to passionate voices like that of Jackie Wong with his recent examination of problems with the scoring system?
Why doesn't IN and USFS care enough to listen to fans and to contract with a more technologically advanced online streaming service??? IN is awful. Look at how Skate Canada is now offering free streaming of their National championships. And U.S. fans are stuck with crappy MLB excuses. MLB understands nothing about figure skating, and cares even less. Their excuse for not offering advanced streaming technology is erroneously that fans are made up of elderly gray-haired ladies who don't have access to up-to-date computer technology.
US fed's process is not transparent. It's too tied up with political infighting. There's a lot issues that need addressing that are constantly swept under the rug, and that's why the current state of affairs is so complicated. I do think there has been some willingness to think differently, but it's such a slow, cautious, and often inept misguided approach that they take. The entire structure and way of doing things needs to change, and that will take time, but it will also take passionate informed leadership. The situation now seems to stay so bound up in status quo thinking and a desire to go along to get along.
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