World Figure Skating Hall of Fame nominees

I apologize if this is posted somewhere else already, but I just noticed that IN has a list of 2012 WFSHoF nominees....I can't remember if we are allowed to link to IN, so I' won't risk it now. But they have the ballot for all categories listed fyi.

There is a controversy re Sonia Bianchetti being blackballed from World Figure Skating Hall of Fame

Here is the ballot list.

OFFICIAL BALLOT FOR WORLD FIGURE SKATING HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2012

CATEGORY A: Outstanding Competitor - Ladies
Denise Biellmann
Sjoukje Dijkstra
Michelle Kwan

CATEGORY A: Outstanding Competitor - Men
Todd Eldredge
Tim Wood

CATEGORY A: Outstanding Competitor - Pairs
Tai Babilonia & Randy Gardner
Artur Dmitriev & Natalia Mishkutenok & Oksana Kazakova

CATEGORY A: Outstanding Competitor - Ice Dancing
Natalia Bestemianova & Andrei Bukin
Doreen Denney

CATEGORY B: Outstanding Contributor (non-athletic role)
None

CATEGORY C: Outstanding Contributor (creative impact)
Hans Rudi Mauch ("Mr. Frack")
Lori Nichol

CATEGORY D: The Golden (Pre-World War II)
Viktor Balck
Ludowika Eilers & Walter Jakobsson

Controversy aside, this is a wonderful list. Despite the fact that Kwan winn dominated the attention span of most fans, There are numerous skaters nominated who have contributed mightily to the history of the sport and who have been shockingly denied recognition. It's a real shame that a skater like Sjoukje Dijkstra has had to wait nearly 50 years since she retired to possibly be given this honor. She may not have been the most aesthetically pleasing, but she was a thoroughly dominant competitor and an Olympic gold and silver medalist. She also came across as a warm, jolly older woman in the Dutch documentary I saw on her life a few years back. Given the distance of time, It's easy to overlook the great hardship she had to overcome as a child in occupied Europe during WWII and it's aftermath. Similarly, Tim Wood helped to reestablish the American tradition of world champs and Olympic medalists in the wake of the 61 crash.. Tai and Randy were, of course, tragic luminaries who help craft the modern image of pairs skating we enjoy today. Finally Biellmann's influence on the sport, thanks to her eponymous spin becoming a staple, is as vast as many of the greatest names in the sports's history.

As nice as it would be for Kwan, Eldredge, Dmitriev and partners or Bestemianova and Bukin to be inducted, it would be just as nice to see some of the older champs be recognized while they are still able to enjoy the honor.

SkateFiguring said:

There is a controversy re Sonia Bianchetti being blackballed from World Figure Skating Hall of Fame

Click to expand...

Thank you for posting this, SkateFiguring, and also thanks to Visalia Pete for communicating the letter.

I don't know what to think. It is certainly true that Ms. Bianchetti has been a burr under the saddle of Mr. Cinquanta for some time now.

The Hall of Fame is an independent organization and no doubt has a clause in its by-laws, as do all such organizations , that says, we can do whatever we want and if you don't like it, tough. We would have to see more evidence (and we never will) to decide whether Ms. Bianchietti was "blackballed" by secret directives from the higher-ups.

Rightly or wrongly, the Hall of Fame doesn't seem to want Ms. Bianchetti in the club. Of course, such a blunt statement will never be issued. I wouldn't make any statement to someone who's proven she'll blab anything I tell her to anyone who will listen.

I never heard of her so I did a web search. I learned she is a referee. Few people like referees. Referees may be respected or tolerated but never liked. No one will go to the mat for a referee. Which is why few referees are in any sport's hall of fame.

Welcome to the forum, xzchief.

But...you've never heard of Sonia Bianchetti? She was a high ranking officer in the in the ISU with several decades of service, rising to the post of chairman of the ISU technical committee for figure skating. Her hallmark was a life-long crusade against biased and politically motivated judging, which naturally did not endear her to all segments of the skating establishment.

Ms. Bianchetti spearheaded the movement to eliminate school figures from skating competitions and to put the emphasis on the artistic side of the sport. She continues to be a vocal critic of the IJS, for the same reason, that it depreciates (in her opinion) the beauty of the sport.

The reason the ISU brass doesn't like her is this. In 1994 Ms. Bianchetti was in line to be the next ISU president. However, her political opponents pulled a fast one. They nominated a speedskater from Italy, Ottavio Cinquanta, to the governing council, just before the other side could nominate Mr. Bianchetti from the figure skating side. The rules said that two people from the same country could not serve on the coucil at the same time, so Bianchetti was out and Cinquanta was elected the new president.

Later on Ms. Bianchetti got even further on the ISU's bad list by supporting the proposed World Skating Federation, an organization dedicated to fighting corruption in figure skating judging. For this, she was kicked out of the ISU altogether.

Even so, as a "private citizen," she continues to call out the figure skating establishment on a regular basis. What's not to like?

ITA. What is not to like? Women with...well you know are not appreciated any where in this world. Those who go along with corruption, win. Those who have honor, morals, a sense of justice and fair play are ruined. As she was within ISU. She writes, interesting, well put articles, that are relevant and represent the thoughts of many. Women in power rankle. Thatcher couldn't just lead, her hair had to be perfect. It was no different when Hillary came along and it never changes. If Sonia ever reads here, I salute her and say, keep on, Sonia!

ETA, I hope Denise gets it. Amazing athlete who can kick but well into her pro years and always under-rated as she skated against Witt.

Wow. Tough list. In every category. Arguments very compelling for any of them. Disappointment is likely the predominant feeling which will emerge with such a list.

Why can't they induct a group every year, not nominate and vote. They did that when competing, waited for others to redeem their efforts and judge all their lives (skating lives). I was disappointed they did not induct Rudy in San Jose with MK. She really would have been happy, and I think it would be so much nicer than how they do this now. That is why I'd like to see Bielmann, as MK will definitely get there, while many are forgotten when they too contributed much.