- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
Someone has to put up the money. At present, only the Japanese teleivion network and its sponsors are willing to do so.
In the U.S., former big money players like Marshall's department stores and Campbell's soup have opted out of figure skating shows.
The answers to these questions are spelled out in this document:Joesitz said:
http://isu.sportcentric.net/db//files/serve.php?id=911
The Japanese Skating Federation will pay all expenses, including air fare, meals and lodging, to all skaters, judges, officials, etc., and also to two additional “team leaders” (coaches, etc.) from each country. (Apparently it is up to the JSF to make its own deal with Japanese TV and commercial sponsors in Japan.)
The document also specifies that the JSF will pay the prize money to the member federation, which will then disburse it to the skaters, after deducting whatever taxes, fees, etc., are required by law in each country. However, the federation will not be allowed to keep an “arbitrary lump sum” of the skaters’ money, as the Russian Federation used to do routinely.
There was one famous scandal in which Maria Butyrskaya lost all her money because the Russian bank which was holding it for the Russian federation mysteriously went bankrupt.Also, if a country qualifies but then their top skaters pull out (this means the highest finishers at Worlds, the Grand Prix, etc.), the ISU may disqualify the team and send another country’s team instead.
An individual skater can decline to skate only for reasons of injury. If a skater does withdraw, he/she cannot skate in any show, competition or exhibition between Worlds and April 26.
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