Philip Hersh - U.S., Canada FS federation presidents should step away from judging

[Aussie Willy]

One comment that is frequently made is that the officials have the best knowledge of the sport so should be in administration. My personal opinion is that the involvement of officials in senior administrative positions is an issue that requires serious review and I do not think that argument has any validity. I think it creates many barriers to the progress of the sport given that change impacts the decision makers very personally and therefore they are prone to resist. However, that is a much bigger discussion than the immediate issue at hand.

I think your point has a lot of relevance to the topic and I don't necessarily disagree with you about the validity of your argument. I am all for people who are not heavily involved coming on board to committees because they have a different perspective and set of skills. But it doesn't always work that way when it comes to recruitment. The positions are very rarely advertised and it is usually word of month that you fill roles which are done at rinks or people of like minds are gathered.

From my personal experience, you get officials along with parents falling into administrative roles, not because they have the best knowledge of the sport but because the reality is most people start off being involved because there is no-one else to take up the roles. "Hey we need a new secretary or treasurer". Most roles I have taken on is because I was asked and then it just grows from there. Or you ask the question "How can I help?" Guess what, before long you are running a competition or a national delegate. When you are involved it is because you have the passion and want to help the sport (or any activity for that matter) that you are passionate about. While you might get the occaisional person from outside the whatever it is get involved, that is more a rarity than par for the course.

Keep in mind pretty much all people involved are volunteers which is strictly an administrative form of control. Federations, associations and clubs live and die by the energy, passion and willingness of the volunteer workforce.

 

[William]

I think your point has a lot of relevance to the topic and I don't necessarily disagree with you about the validity of your argument. I am all for people who are not heavily involved coming on board to committees because they have a different perspective and set of skills. But it doesn't always work that way when it comes to recruitment. The positions are very rarely advertised and it is usually word of month that you fill roles which are done at rinks or people of like minds are gathered.

From my personal experience, you get officials along with parents falling into administrative roles, not because they have the best knowledge of the sport but because the reality is most people start off being involved because there is no-one else to take up the roles. "Hey we need a new secretary or treasurer". Most roles I have taken on is because I was asked and then it just grows from there. Or you ask the question "How can I help?" Guess what, before long you are running a competition or a national delegate. When you are involved it is because you have the passion and want to help the sport (or any activity for that matter) that you are passionate about. While you might get the occaisional person from outside the whatever it is get involved, that is more a rarity than par for the course.

Keep in mind pretty much all people involved are volunteers which is strictly an administrative form of control. Federations, associations and clubs live and die by the energy, passion and willingness of the volunteer workforce.

I know this as well as anyone given my time on both sides of the sport at very high levels. Partially true but partially because structurally the system doesn't encourage outsiders. I have experience with sports that go outside more and that blend is far healthier in my view and experience.

 

[chameleonster]

The perception of impropriety is often just as damaging as actual wrongdoing, if not more so. I am a little surprised at some of the reactions I've been seeing. I don't believe that Skate Canada has been rigging anything(or if they have they're laughably clumsy) but it's the Olympic season and everyone is a little on edge.

On the subject of Ponomarenko, to the best of my knowledge he has not judged a single junior competition this quad. I think he's not even allowed to, but I could be wrong. Additionally, he has not judged a single notable senior event so far this season. Its possible he might have been at some small comp as I didn't check thoroughly, but he hasn't been at a single challenger or GP this season, though I suppose Golden Spin is still left.

 

[misskarne]

I wonder how many of the people who are okay with Auxier/Conor judging internationals when they are the heads of their federations were screaming blue bloody murder that Shekhevtsova, the wife of a federation official, was on the panel in Sochi?

Bit of a double-standard going on there. Frankly, I don't think presidents/vice presidents etc should be judging internationals but I understand why it happens. It takes many, many years of training to get to ISU standard and not all judges have the time, money and energy to get to that level. The pool isn't that huge, really.

 

[Dub16]

So the ISU has officially warned Skate Canada about the Tessa virtue earring gifts given to officials as detailed in a letter from the ISU President and Director General to ISU members.

"You may have noticed recent media reports questioning the Skate Canada initiative to provide gifts to the participants of the 2017 Canadian Grand Prix event. The gift were earrings which were part of a jewellery line created by a participating and prominent Canadian skater.

Based on explanations received from Skate Canada, the ISU has no reason to doubt the good intentions of Skate Canada, which were driven by hospitality considerations. Nevertheless, as stated in the ISU Code of Ethics, even the appearance of impropriety, insincere attitude or purpose can be damaging (ISU Communication No. 2104, Paragraph 4 f)). Considering the circumstances in this case, such appearance might have occurred and might reflect negatively on Skate Canada, the ISU and Figure Skating in general.

The ISU has therefore sent to Skate Canada a warning and request to abstain from similar initiatives in the future. The ISU herewith takes this opportunity to invite all ISU Members to give due consideration to the sensitivity of the above-mentioned and similar situations and to avoid any appearance of impropriety when hosting Ice Skating events."

 

[mackiecat]

Where did you find this. I looked on the ISU site to no avail.

 

[Sylvia]

The letter was sent to ISU members and office holders today, according to Hersh's follow-up blog article: http://www.globetrottingbyphilipher...ure-skating-ethics-canada-violation-ice-dance

 

[overedge]

The ISU herewith takes this opportunity to invite all ISU Members to give due consideration to the sensitivity of the above-mentioned and similar situations and to avoid any appearance of impropriety when hosting Ice Skating events."

The ISU lecturing its member federations on avoiding "impropriety" would be if it wasn't so hypocritical. When the ISU cleans up its own house by getting rid of judges who have been convicted multiple times of improper judging practices, maybe then it can tell other organizations about how to be ethical.

ETA: And of course Phil is taking credit for the ISU sending out this letter Hey, Phil, Virtue isn't just "Canadian ice dance champion" - she's also the World champion.

 

[Alilou]

The ISU lecturing its member federations on avoiding "impropriety" would be if it wasn't so hypocritical. When the ISU cleans up its own house by getting rid of judges who have been convicted multiple times of improper judging practices, maybe then it can tell other organizations about how to be ethical.

ETA: And of course Phil is taking credit for the ISU sending out this letter Hey, Phil, Virtue isn't just "Canadian ice dance champion" - she's also the World champion.

And an Olympic Champion!

 

[mackiecat]

I saw the article. He has a copy of the start of the letter. But the letter isn't on their website. Just wonder how Phil got a copy of the letter.

 

[overedge]

I saw the article. He has a copy of the start of the letter. But the letter isn't on their website. Just wonder how Phil got a copy of the letter.

I'm sure his friend Didier was happy to provide him with a copy.

 

[Vagabond]

I find it deeply unsettling that Virtue should be linked to corruption.

 

[professordeb]

I hope Phil is happy now ... he's waaaaay beyond his 15 minutes of fame
Hopefully he can shut the hell up for a while with his "reporting".

 

[Zazy]

The ISU lecturing its member federations on avoiding "impropriety" would be if it wasn't so hypocritical. When the ISU cleans up its own house by getting rid of judges who have been convicted multiple times of improper judging practices, maybe then it can tell other organizations about how to be ethical.

Yup. In a somewhat ethical environment, a letter like this would make sense. In skating, when there's so much that goes on in plain view that's quite a bit worse, when the judging system itself is based on conflict of interest, it's frankly ridiculous. So interesting to see where they draw the line.