- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
Judging controversies and especially "bloc judging" is always a hot topic in figure skating. Under the secrecy provisions of the New Judging System we will no longer be able to tell whether judges from nations that share a common historical, cultural or political background tend to vote together, or not.
It is clear to me what we mean by the "Eastern bloc." The former soviet republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan are all full voting members of the ISU. (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are not members.)
But Mongolia is! Also there are many countries that were formerly under the Communist sphere of influence, such as the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia and Montenegro. Although politically many of these countries (for instance the Islamic former SSRs and the remnants of Yugoslavia) have no particular residual fondness for Russia, still most of the individuals involved in figure skating in those countries have Russian connections. That is certainly true of Israel as well. I’m not so sure of China’s place in all this.
In addition there are many countries, France being among the most blatant, which openly make whatever deals they can to advance the fortunes of their own athletes. Indeed, many people in the ISU believe that it is the express duty of the national federation to do so, and if you don’t play along you are just a sucker.
Who is in the “Western bloc?” ISU members in the western hemisphere are the U.S., Canada, Mexico and provisional members Brazil, Argentina and Puerto Rico. Does Canada tend to support U.S. skaters and U.S. positions in ISU councils? Japan? Australia? Are any of the Western European countries particular allies of the U.S. on figure skating issues?
It is clear to me what we mean by the "Eastern bloc." The former soviet republics of Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan Latvia, Lithuania, Russia, Ukraine and Uzbekistan are all full voting members of the ISU. (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan are not members.)
But Mongolia is! Also there are many countries that were formerly under the Communist sphere of influence, such as the Czech Republic, the Slovak Republic, Poland, Romania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, and Serbia and Montenegro. Although politically many of these countries (for instance the Islamic former SSRs and the remnants of Yugoslavia) have no particular residual fondness for Russia, still most of the individuals involved in figure skating in those countries have Russian connections. That is certainly true of Israel as well. I’m not so sure of China’s place in all this.
In addition there are many countries, France being among the most blatant, which openly make whatever deals they can to advance the fortunes of their own athletes. Indeed, many people in the ISU believe that it is the express duty of the national federation to do so, and if you don’t play along you are just a sucker.
Who is in the “Western bloc?” ISU members in the western hemisphere are the U.S., Canada, Mexico and provisional members Brazil, Argentina and Puerto Rico. Does Canada tend to support U.S. skaters and U.S. positions in ISU councils? Japan? Australia? Are any of the Western European countries particular allies of the U.S. on figure skating issues?