Should The Minimum Age That Ladies Can Compete As Seniors In Singles Be Raised From 15 To 17/18 Years Of Age?

[sadya]

In the past, I didn't mind the differences in age between the competitors. Even if people of the same age compete, there are big differences such as recourses and training methods, your own personal health, how different each body works, etc. And the artistry/emotions which older skaters show more often than the younger skaters, could influence the younger skaters to work on that and their technical mastery could influence the older skaters to keep improving in that area as well.

However, the current doping scandal involving a minor skater, has changed my mind. Doping is harmful for people of all ages of course, but it's especially terrible that they gave a minor these drugs. I remember several sports documentaries about former athletes who weren't always told what they were given: 'vitamins' they were told and not what these 'vitamins' actually were. Only years later they found out what these drugs in fact were. Some developed cancer, others couldn't have children anymore for example, and all this from being fed 'vitamins' from a young age.

Also thinking about being withheld important foods which also impacts your health, and of course avoidable injuries if young skaters weren't hasted into winning right now instead of developing in a healthy time frame with healthy methods has changed my mind.

This season, I've watched the SP of Valieva countless times. It isn't my all time favourite skate, to me, it still lacks something, but it is one of my favourite programs of this season. But if I could choose between having that great program to watch or her health, I'd rather see a healthy child.

I remember Kwan feeling ready to compete in Seniors and Carroll asking her to be patient, to take her time and wait. Of course she felt that she actually was ready right now and to his dismay she went and passed to compete in Seniors from then on. What a difference with what we see with today, with certain coaches not allowing skaters to develop in their own healthy time frame, but rushing them to senior competitions as soon as possible.

 

[sk9tingfan]

Unless I missed it previously, Phil Hersh's take on this subject posted on Twitter and discussion on a Dutch appeal:

An old debate about the young in figure skating heats up again: is it time to raise the minimum age for seniors? — Globetrotting by Philip Hersh

Is it time to raise the age minimum for singles figure skaters in senior international competition? Rafael Arutunian thinks so. The coach of the only two U.S. skaters to win senior World Championship medals since 2009 brought up the idea unprompted during our lengthy recent conversation at his trai

www.globetrottingbyphiliphersh.com

Proposal to raise minimum age for senior events brings figure skating back to the future — Globetrotting by Philip Hersh

Jeroen Prins long has been deeply involved in figure skating, with a wide range of expertise. Prins, 54, was a national-level skater in the Netherlands who now is an international referee and technical controller in singles, a technical controller in pairs and a judge in ice dance. He hol

www.globetrottingbyphiliphersh.com

 

[bardtoob]

The age limit in the premier showcased Summer Olympic sport* is 16 for females, and I think it had a positive effect by encouraging a more muscular body type, increasing the variation in body types, and widening the age range of participation.

Because of this, I see no reason to be more restrictive in the premier showcased Winter Olympic sport.

* Woman Artistic Gymnastics

The age should be raised to the age when all the rules apply.

I am happy to see that the age when all the rules apply is 16, which I have always thought was about right.

However, I will say that in the past I was not thinking:

• about the application of rules without special status

but more because:

• it matched gymnastics, which saw a huge growth in older competitors as well as variations in body type
• skaters could still afford to train for one Olympic cycle while in middle school and high school (secondary school), when it is natural to be financially supported by adults
• the skater still has the option to go to college (uni) around 16-19, which is generally recognized as the time to start that level of education

However, being able to apply rules without special status could certainty be a primary argument.