Major Decisions Taken at 50th ISU Congress
Figure skating -
14 Jun 2004
The historic 50th ISU Congress concluded on Friday 11 June in Scheveningen, the Netherlands. Four days earlier the Congress had been opened by Dr Jacques Rogge, President of the International Olympic Committee in the presence of His Royal Highness the Prince of Orange. In his address Dr Rogge spoke about the important role played by skating in the Olympic Winter Games and said he was sure that the ISU would send out a strong message that sports lovers could trust their sport.
Mr Ottavio Cinquanta, President of the ISU, who had clearly expressed his enthusiasm for major innovations in ISU activity, said that he was proud of the results obtained at the Congress, where many important decisions for the ISU sport disciplines passed with a large majority of votes. The result was a general consensus on the policy of the world governing body for ice skating.
On Friday the ISU Congress unanimously accepted a new Constitution and structure for the SU, which will mostly take effect from June 2006.
Restructuring
Key changes to the current structure include:
Establishment of a four-person Board of Directors to manage the sports activities of the ISU. The Board of Directors will report to the Council.
Technical Committees (for Figure Skating, Ice Dancing, Synchronized Skating, Speed Skating and Short Track) will consist of six people of whom four will be elected and two appointed. The appointed members will be a coach and a skater. Skaters and coaches will participate in Technical Committee activities immediately but only in an advisory capacity until the new Constitution takes effect in 2006.
A new Disciplinary Commission of 5 people was elected on 11 June to hear charges of disciplinary or ethical offences, including doping offences. The disciplinary function is therefore removed from the ISU Council with immediate effect.
An Officials’ Assessment Commission for Figure Skating, Ice Dancing and
Synchronized Skating will be appointed by the Council to assess the performance of officials involved in judging. Previously this function belonged to the Technical Committee.
The function of Director General has been introduced, replacing the position of
General Secretary, but with a wider role.
ISU Judging System
The Figure Skating section approved the ISU Judging System for Figure Skating, Ice Dancing and Synchronized Skating for immediate implementation at ISU Championships, the Grand Prix of Figure Skating and the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating. Implementation at other international competitions is optional for the 2004/5 season.
The ISU Judging System received 43 votes out of a possible 54. Proposals require a two thirds majority to pass. In this case the minimum number of votes required for approval was 36. Proposals to modify the existing 6.0 judging system were rejected.
The ISU Judging System uses modern technology to enable judges to assess individual elements of a skater’s program more objectively according to agreed criteria.
In order to reduce the risk of outside influence on judges, the names of judges at ISU Championships and Grand Prix events (senior) will not be linked to their scores.
In contrast, however, for the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating events and certain international competitions, scores from all of the judges will be used to form the result and names of judges will be listed next to their scores in the protocol. This will enable the ISU Council to compare the effectiveness of the two procedures.
An amendment was accepted to increase the maximum number of judges in a panel from 10 to 12. A smaller number than 12 judges might be used for certain competitions. If 12 judges are used a random selection of 9 will be made by computer. The highest and lowest marks will be omitted from the calculation, leaving the scores of 7 judges to form the result.
In the opinion of many experts, the ISU Judging System will drastically reduce the chances of the type of controversial results that have sometimes occurred in the past.
Other Figure Skating Decisions
The short program in singles and pair skating will in future last for a maximum of 2 minutes and 50 seconds (previously the limit was 2 minutes and 40 seconds) in order to allow more time for steps and transitions between the elements.
The Figure Skating section adopted a resolution to request the Vice President to invite the ISU Council to establish a representative group to develop a proposal for the composition of judging panels for major ISU Events and for the Olympic Winter Games.
At the European and Four Continents Figure Skating Championships there will be no qualifying rounds. Therefore the competition will consist of a short program and free skating only. Previously a qualifying round was held if there were more than 31 entries in one discipline.
Speed Skating
The World Allround Championships will in future be held over 2 days. Previously there was an option to hold the event over 3 days.
The Speed Skating section accepted a proposal to hold a Team Pursuit competition as part of the World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships.
In order to incorporate the Team Pursuit competitions in the Olympic Winter Games, the Speed Skating section approved a proposal to hold the two 500m races on the same day.
Short Track
The Speed Skating section agreed to modify the qualification system for Short Track skaters for the Olympic Winter Games. For the 2006 Games two of the four ISU World Cup Short Track competitions will be designated as qualifying events.
The Congress acknowledged the substantial progress in the area of sponsorship and television in this exciting discipline.
Conclusion
At the end of the Congress Mr Cinquanta said: 'In conclusion the ISU can be satisfied and proud of this Congress held in Scheveningen in the same hotel where the ISU was founded in 1892. The deliberations of the Congress are a
historic step forward in the modernization of skating and of the ISU.'
Mr Cinquanta added: 'The perfect organization of the Congress by the Royal Dutch Skating Federation (KNSB) has helped considerably to strengthen the unity of the ISU as was demonstrated by the extensive and constructive work of the Members during the five days of the Congress.'
For further information including the full Congress agenda, please see www.isu.org.
Contact:
Rowland Jack, ISU Communications Coordinator
Tel: +41 788 526 405 E-mail: jack@isu.ch
Mr Ottavio Cinquanta, President of the ISU, who had clearly expressed his enthusiasm for major innovations in ISU activity, said that he was proud of the results obtained at the Congress, where many important decisions for the ISU sport disciplines passed with a large majority of votes. The result was a general consensus on the policy of the world governing body for ice skating.
On Friday the ISU Congress unanimously accepted a new Constitution and structure for the SU, which will mostly take effect from June 2006.
Restructuring
Key changes to the current structure include:
Establishment of a four-person Board of Directors to manage the sports activities of the ISU. The Board of Directors will report to the Council.
Technical Committees (for Figure Skating, Ice Dancing, Synchronized Skating, Speed Skating and Short Track) will consist of six people of whom four will be elected and two appointed. The appointed members will be a coach and a skater. Skaters and coaches will participate in Technical Committee activities immediately but only in an advisory capacity until the new Constitution takes effect in 2006.
A new Disciplinary Commission of 5 people was elected on 11 June to hear charges of disciplinary or ethical offences, including doping offences. The disciplinary function is therefore removed from the ISU Council with immediate effect.
An Officials’ Assessment Commission for Figure Skating, Ice Dancing and
Synchronized Skating will be appointed by the Council to assess the performance of officials involved in judging. Previously this function belonged to the Technical Committee.
The function of Director General has been introduced, replacing the position of
General Secretary, but with a wider role.
ISU Judging System
The Figure Skating section approved the ISU Judging System for Figure Skating, Ice Dancing and Synchronized Skating for immediate implementation at ISU Championships, the Grand Prix of Figure Skating and the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating. Implementation at other international competitions is optional for the 2004/5 season.
The ISU Judging System received 43 votes out of a possible 54. Proposals require a two thirds majority to pass. In this case the minimum number of votes required for approval was 36. Proposals to modify the existing 6.0 judging system were rejected.
The ISU Judging System uses modern technology to enable judges to assess individual elements of a skater’s program more objectively according to agreed criteria.
In order to reduce the risk of outside influence on judges, the names of judges at ISU Championships and Grand Prix events (senior) will not be linked to their scores.
In contrast, however, for the Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating events and certain international competitions, scores from all of the judges will be used to form the result and names of judges will be listed next to their scores in the protocol. This will enable the ISU Council to compare the effectiveness of the two procedures.
An amendment was accepted to increase the maximum number of judges in a panel from 10 to 12. A smaller number than 12 judges might be used for certain competitions. If 12 judges are used a random selection of 9 will be made by computer. The highest and lowest marks will be omitted from the calculation, leaving the scores of 7 judges to form the result.
In the opinion of many experts, the ISU Judging System will drastically reduce the chances of the type of controversial results that have sometimes occurred in the past.
Other Figure Skating Decisions
The short program in singles and pair skating will in future last for a maximum of 2 minutes and 50 seconds (previously the limit was 2 minutes and 40 seconds) in order to allow more time for steps and transitions between the elements.
The Figure Skating section adopted a resolution to request the Vice President to invite the ISU Council to establish a representative group to develop a proposal for the composition of judging panels for major ISU Events and for the Olympic Winter Games.
At the European and Four Continents Figure Skating Championships there will be no qualifying rounds. Therefore the competition will consist of a short program and free skating only. Previously a qualifying round was held if there were more than 31 entries in one discipline.
Speed Skating
The World Allround Championships will in future be held over 2 days. Previously there was an option to hold the event over 3 days.
The Speed Skating section accepted a proposal to hold a Team Pursuit competition as part of the World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships.
In order to incorporate the Team Pursuit competitions in the Olympic Winter Games, the Speed Skating section approved a proposal to hold the two 500m races on the same day.
Short Track
The Speed Skating section agreed to modify the qualification system for Short Track skaters for the Olympic Winter Games. For the 2006 Games two of the four ISU World Cup Short Track competitions will be designated as qualifying events.
The Congress acknowledged the substantial progress in the area of sponsorship and television in this exciting discipline.
Conclusion
At the end of the Congress Mr Cinquanta said: 'In conclusion the ISU can be satisfied and proud of this Congress held in Scheveningen in the same hotel where the ISU was founded in 1892. The deliberations of the Congress are a
historic step forward in the modernization of skating and of the ISU.'
Mr Cinquanta added: 'The perfect organization of the Congress by the Royal Dutch Skating Federation (KNSB) has helped considerably to strengthen the unity of the ISU as was demonstrated by the extensive and constructive work of the Members during the five days of the Congress.'
For further information including the full Congress agenda, please see www.isu.org.
Contact:
Rowland Jack, ISU Communications Coordinator
Tel: +41 788 526 405 E-mail: jack@isu.ch