- Joined
- Jul 11, 2003
OK with the nonscoring entrants. You confirm that is the Rule, when there is a vacancy in a GP entrants, a top 6 skater or team can by Rule apply to fill it as a nonscoring event and knock out a would be bronze medalist so that the new entrant can have an extra session to see if their scores improved?The Vise/Trent situation was at the 2007/2008 Grand Prix Bompard, so already over two full seasons ago. The option for the top six placed pairs in the World to do a third event was clearly stated in the ISU rules. THIS situation is not.
If anyone did a third event then it was already stated in the beginning of the Grand Prix series as to which event would not count for points. Remember the 2001 NHK Trophy (I know it was a long time ago too, but just an example) when Slutskaya and Butyrskaya both withdrew in the week before the event? Had they competed and assumingly finished 1-2, then Angela Nikodinov, who was also in the event and had it chosen as her non-scoring event, she would have made the Final. Without the Russians there, Tataiana Malinina won the event and qualified in front of Nikodinov to the Grand Prix Final. It happens. You can also look at that as Nikodinov could have won the event herself instead of finishing the 4th place she ended up, and then she would have protected her own spot.
This could happen again as Pairs is not the most populated sport. I don't think this should be swept under the rug, as the topic of this thread is questioning the Isu to verify its own rules. What is the Rule on Filling the Gaps? Does it exist in writing?
The question to be put to the ISU is why fill the gaps with top 6 skaters or teams. Nikidinov at least was not put against a top 6 skater.