ISU to Discuss Age Limit of Figure Skaters

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ISU to Discuss Age Limit of Figure Skaters Aug 27, 2020 19:12:25 GMT

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Post by Admin on Aug 27, 2020 19:12:25 GMT

The International Skating Union (ISU) is set to discuss raising the age limit of figure skaters following the death of Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya.

The minimum competition age in figure skating is 15, but may be raised to 17 to prevent the abuse of young athletes.

Pre-teen and early adolescent skaters are also required to perform complex jumps and dangerous routines in order to be ready for international competition, which could be averted by putting up the age limit.

Dutch figure skating officials had submitted an "urgent proposal" to the ISU to raise the minimum eligibility age to 17 in 2018, but it was not discussed during that year's Congress.

But ISU President Jan Dijkema has revealed there could be a re-think, according to The Australian.

"The ISU, through the respective ISU Member Federations, is trying to obtain information that might lead to review certain ISU rules and procedures, especially related to the applicable age limits," he said.

"Besides a possible ISU Council proposal to be put on the agenda of the 2021 Congress, some ISU Member Federations have signalled their intention to do so.

"There will most likely be a debate on the issue at the Congress."

It is thought the recent age-limit discussion has been sparked by the death of Alexandrovskaya, the the Russian-born figure skater who represented Australia at the Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic Games.

Police ruled the cause of death in June as suicide, and reports of the 20-year-old Alexandrovskaya struggling with a demanding coach and loneliness have since emerged.

Last Edit: Aug 27, 2020 20:28:41 GMT by Admin

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ISU to Discuss Age Limit of Figure Skaters Aug 30, 2020 19:34:33 GMT

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Post by Admin on Aug 30, 2020 19:34:33 GMT

Prominent Russian figure skater Oleg Ovsyannikov has spoken in favor of a widely-discussed initiative to change the age limit in women’s skating, suggesting that 15-year-old girls spend two more years at junior level.

The Olympic silver medalist, who also won two world titles together with his partner Anzhelika Krylova, said that women’s skating should not be converted into a competition between kids who are allowed to enter senior events from the age of 15.

“I want the International Skating Union (ISU) to address the matter of the age limit. This is women’s – not kids’ – skating, after all. Let young athletes skate at junior level, they have their own junior Grand Prix stages and world championships. This is my opinion, I support this idea,” the retired skater said.

The highly debated matter of raising the age in women’s skating was already discussed by the ISU members last year, but the rule remained unchanged having faced criticism from a great number of Russian pundits who said the initiative was directed against Russia’s quad-jumping sensations.

The ISU intends to discuss the possible changes regarding the age of female participants at the 2021 Summit after the issue emerged again following the tragic death of a Russian pairs skater, Ekaterina Alexandrovskaya.

Last Edit: Aug 30, 2020 19:35:32 GMT by Admin

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ISU to Discuss Age Limit of Figure Skaters Aug 31, 2020 0:47:05 GMT

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Post by Admin on Aug 31, 2020 0:47:05 GMT

Representatives of the ISU announced on August 27 that they plan to discuss the issue of changing the age limit to 17 years old.

Alexei Yagudin, a Russian figure skater, Olympic champion in 2002, spoke about the decision of the International Skating Union ISU to increase the age limit for figure skaters in the women's single skating category.

Representatives of the ISU announced that they plan to discuss the issue of changing the age limit to 17 years old. This means that 15-year-old skaters will be deprived of the opportunity to take part in senior skating, as it was before.

Yagudin emphasized that he had never supported the increase in the age limit, since it is much more pleasant to watch young talented skaters who every day conquer more and more peaks and master interesting techniques than 20-30 year old women who simply perform their performance mechanically.

In addition, according to the athlete, there is no place for age in figure skating, since athletes need to demonstrate their skills at the time when they have the opportunity to do so. It is not their fault that they can show the level of adult and experienced skaters at a very young age.

According to Sergei Davydov, who is the coach of Russian figure skater Sophia Samodelkina, an increase in the age limit will cause a drop in the popularity of figure skating in general.

Last Edit: Aug 31, 2020 20:16:53 GMT by Admin

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ISU to Discuss Age Limit of Figure Skaters Aug 31, 2020 20:18:50 GMT

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Post by Admin on Aug 31, 2020 20:18:50 GMT

Russian figure skater Elizaveta Tuktamysheva spoke in favor of raising the age limit for women's figure skating.

“I support the idea of increasing the age limit in women's skating, because it is important for me that figure skating looks spectacular and beautiful. I wish the skaters' programs were balanced, with a full range of choreographic and technical elements. I want to see a feminine and mature skating, so yes, I think that raising the age limit is a good idea," RT quotes Tuktamysheva.

To date, those skaters who have reached the age of 15 at the time of the start of the season (July 1) can compete in international adult tournaments.

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ISU to Discuss Age Limit of Figure Skaters Sept 5, 2020 21:47:01 GMT

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Post by Admin on Sept 5, 2020 21:47:01 GMT

A year ago, the International Skating Union refused to even consider the issue of tightening age restrictions in women's figure skating. But now officials are determined to push through an undesirable decision for Russia and prohibit figure skaters under 17 from participating in the world championships and the Olympic Games.

It turns out that everything changed after the tragic death of 20-year-old boyfriend Ekaterina Aleksandrovskaya. With the same success, the poisoning of Navalny or the protests in Belarus could be chosen as a reason.

So who is playing on the terrible tragedy and is behind yet another attempt to curtail Russia's dominance in women's figure skating? Just do not say that Denmark, which again initiated the discussion of the issue of age qualification.

Census may be raised in 2021
The need to tighten age restrictions in women's figure skating has been discussed for a long time. More precisely, from the moment Russian juniors transferred foreign skaters to the category of eternal outsiders. In the summer of 2018, shortly after Alina Zagitova's victory in Pyeongchang, the Netherlands Federation came up with an initiative to raise the age limit, but the proposal was not included in the agenda. In 2019, Denmark already submitted this issue for consideration, but it was again ignored.

But the next attempt to raise the minimum age from 15 to 17 years has every chance of success. At the ISU Congress in 2021, this issue can be included in the agenda at the suggestion of the Council of the organization and supported by a number of national federations.

“The ISU, through the national federations, is trying to obtain information that may lead to revisions of certain rules and procedures, especially related to applicable age restrictions. Most likely, the debate on this issue will take place during the 2021 Congress, ”said ISU President Jan Daikema.

Tragedy as a reason
The idea of banning 15-year-olds from competing with adult figure skaters is based not only on the notorious Russophobia and unwillingness to listen to the Russian anthem at every competition. The current system really raises a lot of questions. There is a clear bias towards technology, there is a tough exploitation of the capabilities of the child's body, and the adult career of superstars continues for two or three seasons. Not to mention the fact that there are fewer and fewer women in women's figure skating.

But the reason for discussing raising the age limit seems very strange. According to the president of ISU, the death of Ekaterina Aleksandrovskaya made the organization return to the problem of the age of the skaters. The tragedy of the Australian figure skater of Russian descent shocked everyone, but to drag her into the question of age limit is sheer nonsense. Katya made her debut in adult tournaments at the age of 17, performed at the Olympics at 18, and made the fatal step out of the window at 20. In addition, she skated in pairs, where the issue of age is not as acute as among singles.

ISU will consider raising the age limit for figure skaters under 17 in 2021
It is also understandable if the death of Aleksandrovskaya forced ISU to reconsider the procedure for changing sports citizenship, but Catherine's story certainly has nothing to do with age restrictions. And it so happens that the tragedy of Aleksandrovskaya is simply used against young Russian figure skaters, because the decision to raise the qualification will block their way to major starts. More cynical!

Until the age of maturity, no, no! Why are these girls tired of figure skating? Evgenia Medvedeva and Elizaveta Tuktamysheva have just shown that real figure skating is not for children. There's just nothing to look at.

Who benefits from this? First of all, those who lost the most from the appearance of the Russian factory of Tutberidze champions . And this is certainly not Denmark and the Netherlands. Behind the figure skating dwarfs are the true lobbyists for tightening restrictions. Most likely, these are the federations of the USA, Canada and Japan. Their desire to weaken Russian dominance is quite understandable and understandable, especially since there are indeed grounds for revising the minimum age for participants in adult tournaments.

Russia will have to make every effort to fight off yet another attack on Russian sports. Otherwise, after the Beijing Olympics, the phrase "Tutberidze girls" may become a thing of the past.