CoC and NHK GP assignments in the light of new developments | Page 2 | Golden Skate

CoC and NHK GP assignments in the light of new developments

Bluebonnet

Record Breaker
Joined
Aug 18, 2010
Wow! Looks like this thread could be shoved into Politics folder in Le Café much sooner than I thought.;)

If this is a sensitive issue in China, it must be a sensitive issue on an international board where there are a lot of Chinese readers and posters.

It is in the best interest of both Japan and China to keep the open doors on economic and cultural levels. I don't think Japan doesn't care about losing this biggest market in its neighborhood. In any case, Japan will lose a lot as well if the tension builds up for a long time. I think it'll be quiet down if Japan doesn't touch any more sensitive nerves of China. I agree with Buttercup that it is not another Libya or Cairo. US Embassy and Japan Embassy should be fine.

It'll be ridiculous to add Japanese skaters into other GP events. It won't happen. I think there are only these possibilities:

1. CoC proceeds as usual. Japanese skaters attend it. Nothing happens.

2. CoC proceeds as usual. JSF decides not to let Japanese skaters attend. Japanese skaters lose the chance for GPF.

3. CoC postponed to a later date.

4. CoC cancelled and moved to another country.

5. CoC cancelled but cannot find another host country.
 
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cornell08

Final Flight
Joined
May 10, 2009
I think this is a very intricate issue and that assigning blame is pointless. But what I do know is that we have no idea if any of those protesters are figure skating fans. I would like to think figure skating fans love the sport so much that they support athletes from the world over. Just as Shen and Zhao were given standing ovations in Japan, so too have Mao and Mirai in China. Unless one of us is in the Skating Federation of that country or National Sports Council, nobody really knows what is actually going on and why calls are being made as such.
 

Buttercup

Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 25, 2008
So many China and Japan experts on this thread. :popcorn: Politics and sports shouldn't mix. ;)
Indeed. Unless a political situation really makes sporting events impossible to hold, I think these are two things that need to be looked at separately. Which has basically been my point on this thread all along; I certainly don't know who has the right of it in this specific dispute.
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
As others have stated, a lot of the discussion needed to go into the politics forum. You must have 100 posts to participate in the politics section of the board (which is a subsection of Le Cafe).

Let's keep this thread more about skating/competition and not the other stuff, thanks.
 

bigsisjiejie

Record Breaker
Joined
Nov 22, 2009
Based on what I'm seeing on the ground here right now, I would not be sending Japanese athletes, and possibly not USA athletes, to CoC. The situation is quite volatile and safety/security is a real concern. I normally pass through and near the main affected area in Beijing almost everyday, and now need to give it a wide berth and reroute/replan. Understand that these protests are going on with underlying Chinese government sponsorship, and if they wanted to, they could certainly take control over the area, boot out the protestors, tell everybody to go about their normal business, and get things quieted down. It is telling that over the last few days, nothing of the sort has happened. The police have been ordered to stand around and let the mob rule...well, maybe the incident with the US Ambassador and his car yesterday will turn the tide on the inaction.

It is possible that at least for CoC competition purposes, life will go back to normal over the next few weeks and the political issues will be handled as they should be (i.e. not by mobs on the streets). We can be hopeful. It's a little premature for anybody to be formally withdrawing their athletes right now. I don't know what the timing is for giving ISU notice of withdrawal, so alternative skaters can be named and prepared, but I'd think at least 3 weeks in advance of the competition, as Chinese visas for replacement skaters would need to be procured and travel arrangements made. Maybe somebody else knows the official ISU rules. I doubt if the ISU will entertain the thought of moving CoC to somewhere else, even if it was logistically possible. And the other countries' skaters should be OK, barring some completely unforeseen negative development.

Based on my previous experiences of many years at CoC in Beijing, Japanese skaters have always been treated very respectfully and even enthusiastically by the Chinese audience, even though there are underlying non-skating nationalistic grudges going back for decades. I would like to think that will continue even with the current heightened tension and Shanghai venue--if anything, Shanghai tends to be more worldly, tolerant, and less nationalistic than Beijing. So I don't think the skaters have anything to fear from the Chinese skating community and skating fans. Chinese skating fans appreciate top notch skating and a great show, regardless of who's on the ice. It's the outside-the-rink part that would worry me more.
 

sky_fly20

Match Penalty
Joined
Nov 20, 2011
So many China and Japan experts on this thread. :popcorn: Politics and sports shouldn't mix. ;)

indeed, It has become too heated now, I don't normally like talking about Politics so its time for this tread to be moved to politics section
 

Tonichelle

Idita-Rock-n-Roll
Record Breaker
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
indeed, It has become too heated now, I don't normally like talking about Politics so its time for this tread to be moved to politics section

the thread will stay here, the more political posts are already moved elsewhere.
 

NMURA

Medalist
Joined
Jul 14, 2010
http://fsnews.ru/page.php?id=1643

This Russian article says, negotiation is underway to transfer (Japanese) athletes to other events. Probably the JSF has asked the Russian FS federation to accept Japanese skaters to Cup of Russia. If the deal was made, the ISU would not have any reason to object. I think it's very likely that Japan is not sending skaters to China.
 

demarinis5

Gold for the Winter Prince!
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 23, 2004
http://fsnews.ru/page.php?id=1643

This Russian article says, negotiation is underway to transfer (Japanese) athletes to other events. Probably the JSF has asked the Russian FS federation to accept Japanese skaters to Cup of Russia. If the deal was made, the ISU would not have any reason to object. I think it's very likely that Japan is not sending skaters to China.

I wonder how many GP TBA slots are left at this late date. I would think that all of the spots are taken. Thank you or the link.
 
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