Team figure skating possible for Sochi 2014 | Page 2 | Golden Skate

Team figure skating possible for Sochi 2014

PolymerBob

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2007
There is another possibility ( though perhaps not a good one ). Each country fields a different team for the individual events and the team events. That way, each federation decides where to put its strongest skaters.
 

Antilles

Medalist
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
Sorcerer, all Olympic athletes need to be citizens of the country they represent. The IOC does not have exceptions to this rule.
 

sorcerer

Final Flight
Joined
May 1, 2007
Thanks.
Then Japan won't medal, even if it did succeed to participate which seems a bit difficult now.
Oh wait, there is still a slim chance that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan will give Tran the necessary citizenship using the exception clause (which never has been utilized till today though).
 
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Nadine

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 3, 2003
I love the concept of this idea, but the actual execution of it might be a bit difficult.

My suggestion would be to have the "second tier" skate for the team, those that finished 4th & 5th respectively. This way it would give everybody a chance to be an Olympic Medalist.

No way should top medal contenders from a country be forced to compete because they're already so focused on their individual event. However, I would make an exception for *afterwards*, that is after everybody has skated their individual event, then & only then would the top dogs compete. And for those that fell just short of attaining an individual medal, this would give them a great incentive to redeem themselves imho. :)

And who knows this TEAM event may one day become more important than the individual event(s), since it's about working as a team for one's country, not individually. Just like how we go on & on when skaters from our individual countries do not earn enough points together in order to send a third member (e.g. Alissa Czisny's 11th place at 2009 Worlds + Rachael Flatt's 5th place wasn't good enough to send a third lady to the 2010 Olympics :( ).
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
And who knows this TEAM event may one day become more important than the individual event(s), since it's about working as a team for one's country, not individually...

Quite true. In gymnastics, for instance, the overall individual title is important to the athletes, and maybe even the individual apparatuses are. But to the fans watching back home, its all about the national team.
 

bigsisjiejie

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 22, 2009
Nice that we are speculating here, but has anybody seen any press about feedback from any of the National Federations or individual skaters, as to thoughts on the merits (or lack thereof) of the Team concept? I'm not in the loop, but it seems like the silence has been deafening.
 

sorcerer

Final Flight
Joined
May 1, 2007
.....but has anybody seen any press about feedback from any of the National Federations or individual skaters, as to thoughts on the merits (or lack thereof) of the Team concept? .....

Here's one from Mao and from JSF:
http://www.sponichi.co.jp/sports/flash/KFullFlash20101026056.html

Mao: "I really like it! Seems fun too (from my experience). "
Mr. Yoshioka the Reinforcement Director of JSF: "If it comes to Olympic Games, then we don't have any pairs. No pair skaters nor coaches who can teach pairs. We have problems as to where the pairs can train themselves. Not easy to get a medal."

Totally agree!

Me, I partly agree!
Sychronized skating should be in the Olys if the latter really aims to house every aspect of amateur sports.
But in reality they quit baseball and even softball as a Oly game f'rinstance.
The olympics has become a big business network, a conglomerate, though I hate it to be so.
We'd have to face the fact that it pays only where there's enough thrill even for the occasional visitors. And visible personalities blown up on TV screens.
IOC needs stars. Though I don't like it, it is the reality.
 
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Ptichka

Forum translator
Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 28, 2003
Synchro is girl only. They obviously want to add a good boy/girl mix.
I'm not really sure about this either - too few countries would be medal contenders, as was previously stated.
 

bestskate8

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 31, 2003
Extra skating will never hurt my eyes, will it be one or two days event?
Event like this will encourage more countries to work on developing more pairs and dance teams. It will be all good for smaller countries and for the sport.
 

R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
if each country only sends one of each..not much of a "team" is it?? At least in gymnastics, most if not all the ladies (and men) who get sent get to contribute to the team event in some manner.
 

fairly4

Medalist
Joined
Oct 28, 2007
actually team event is good idea,
i don't like the concept of how they are putting it togthers,
sport is already rigged doesn't need anything else. that even implies it, by sending two different teams and federation chooses.
for example
u.s.a.
girls this last olympics
usa tell press that mirai and rachel competes in individual and sasha and ashley for team but once gets there changes minds and states
it is rachel and sasha for individual and mirai and ashley for team. nope the hollering will start
what they should do for in my non-taken opinion is just use the skaters that already qualifies for olympics and use their placements and for the countries that don't have only 3 disciplines, 2 disciplines , 1discipline qualified for the olympics allow those and only those countries to send extra for only and just only for team.
like japan didn't have pair i think so they would have been allowed 1 spot or 2 spots for team in dance event only since the others were taken 1 in dance, 2, in men and 2 in ladies.
they can weight the scores different , or add placements
or if they didn't qualify only 1 discipline since only 30 can go the teams that didn't qualify in whichever discipline the number would be 31.,
only my dumb opinion
 

evangeline

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 7, 2007
I have a difficult time reconciling myself to an event that would give skaters like Denney/Barrett an Olympic gold in figure skating when others like Savchenko/Szolkowy have pretty much no chance of doing so merely by virtue of birth or citizenship.

Plus, am I the only one who is cynical enough to think that there may be quite a bit of citizenship-switching if such an event was actually held?
 

let`s talk

Match Penalty
Joined
Sep 10, 2009
IOC stalls the decision till April 2011. Then the decision will be made solely by Jacques Rogge. The official explanation is that IOC wants to see the next round of world championships of new sport candidates. No need to remind you that ISU currently doesn't have FS team event in world championship and unlikely will have the one in March.

So, what Jacques is going to watch?
 

sorcerer

Final Flight
Joined
May 1, 2007
I think the team going to the Olys should consist of skaters who do really wish to skate in/for the team (and hence seek olympic medals).
Let's suppose USA has 3 spots going into Sochi.
If Rachael chooses keeping energy for her individual medal quest, she is allowed to do so.
If Mirai wishes to try for 2 medals hanging on her neck, she'll be one of the candidates for the team.
The highest Seasonal Best holder among the candidates will be in the team.
 
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R.D.

Record Breaker
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
IOC stalls the decision till April 2011. Then the decision will be made solely by Jacques Rogge. The official explanation is that IOC wants to see the next round of world championships of new sport candidates. No need to remind you that ISU currently doesn't have FS team event in world championship and unlikely will have the one in March.

So, what Jacques is going to watch?

Yeah...shouldn't the ISU FIRST work such an event into their world championship, and THEN push for it to be included in the Olys?
 
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