ISU Communication No,. 1817 http://isu.sportcentric.net/db//files/serve.php?id=4667
As I understand it, the new rule is that in the future such breaks will receive a five point penalty -- which is about what Virtue and Moir received from the judges on their own volition anyway. (Zhang and Zhang were not penalized at all on the 2006 Olympics and won the silver medal.)
As I understand it, the new rule is that in the future such breaks will receive a five point penalty -- which is about what Virtue and Moir received from the judges on their own volition anyway. (Zhang and Zhang were not penalized at all on the 2006 Olympics and won the silver medal.)
:yes: You're right, a skater doesn't want to stop in the middle of his/her program, if it happens it is because of factors (as you correctly said) out of his/her control!!A five point penalty? I'm all for fairness in the sport, but that's a little over-the-top, IMO. One or two points should be plenty -- there's no need to knock a skater/team clean off the podium for something most likely out of his/her/their control. :scratch:
:yes: You're right, a skater doesn't want to stop in the middle of his/her program, if it happens it is because of factors (as you correctly said) out of his/her control!!
In roller skating, stopping in the middle of your program because of a skates/physical problem is not penalized at all!
I'm not so sure.
If the problem is clearly equipment related, then I agree, it may be out of their control... although I believe something like an old lace that has broken is at least partly under the skater's control. He/she could change them regularly and avoid the issue. A blade breaking (if that ever happens) is a little more clear situation.
However, if they stop because of a physical problem... cramping, for instance.... that is a fitness/hydration issue. That is absolutely within the skater's control. Skating a more exhausting program than they have stamina to perform... then a stoppage is not some random freak concurrence. It's simply that the skater has been too ambitious, and that would rightly merit a penalty, IMO.
:thumbsup:What about something like Zhang & Zhang's 2006 fall? They thought she might have been seriously hurt in that case. Perhaps they were being overambitious in attempting the quad throw, but even so, I wouldn't want skaters in a similar position to be reluctant to stop because they don't want to take the five-point hit and risk an even worse injury.
Well, physical problems can happen even to well-trained athletes without any kind of problem, and most of the times (especially when it happens to high-level athletes who have a full staff of people who take care of their body and physical shape) is not predictable AT ALL!I'm not so sure.
If the problem is clearly equipment related, then I agree, it may be out of their control... although I believe something like an old lace that has broken is at least partly under the skater's control. He/she could change them regularly and avoid the issue. A blade breaking (if that ever happens) is a little more clear situation.
However, if they stop because of a physical problem... cramping, for instance.... that is a fitness/hydration issue. That is absolutely within the skater's control. Skating a more exhausting program than they have stamina to perform... then a stoppage is not some random freak concurrence. It's simply that the skater has been too ambitious, and that would rightly merit a penalty, IMO.
:thumbsup:
Well, physical problems can happen even to well-trained athletes without any kind of problem, and most of the times (especially when it happens to high-level athletes who have a full staff of people who take care of their body and physical shape) is not predictable AT ALL!
Well, physical problems can happen even to well-trained athletes without any kind of problem, and most of the times (especially when it happens to high-level athletes who have a full staff of people who take care of their body and physical shape) is not predictable AT ALL!
I can't think of any other sport... someone will surely prove me wrong... where the action comes to a complete stop with a re-do allowed whenever an athlete has a physical problem.
Tennis may allow medical time out, but then it is still managing to have the fairness for both players. When a player takes a time out, his opponent is automatically having the same time out. So any 'rest' means rest for both. Whereas in skating when player has a time out in the middle of program, the whole field who did not have time out is disadvantaged.
As I mentioned above, what also is at stake is the momentum of the match.
Although both players have equal time to rest, the opponent might consider the forced rest to be detrimental. If the opponent is feeling a mental edge at the time of the stoppage, perhaps s/he will not be able to carry over that edge after the time-out.