TEB is Cancelled

[Crossover]

Clip from France2 with Philippe Candeloro, Annick Dumont, & Nelson Monfort and some footage from the meeting this morning w/the French skaters singing the anthem.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MGRB_YrdhKs

Thanks for the video. I can see that the gathered skaters are anxious. I wonder they could be allowed to leave the place for going home until the announcement for how to deal with the GP and GPF is made on Tuesday.

 

[Alba]

This is my opinion and if you think it's bull that's your opinion and that's that,
And it's not about GP placements (For crying out loud) It's about dealing with terrorism and sending out messages,
If that's the decision of the Mayor of Bordeaux than there's no much more to talk about, But it doesn't mean
that no one's allowed to criticise it in certain aspects, It's not like we're forcing anyone to change it, It's their call

I have nothing against discussing the GP placement or whatever else about FS but what you said it's not a matter of opinion. You were wrong. It's not the Mayor of Bordeaux (it was the French government who decided to cancel the Trophy and other sport events) and it's not about "feeling" to protect or not 40 or so skaters or deal with terrorism. It's about protecting all the people going to see the skaters above all and there is no security in the world that can deal with that properly. That is why in all countries you do cancel public manifestation in these circumstances because they become an easy target. Last night 100 people were killed in a concert hall, other 60.000 were trapped inside a football stadium and one of the terrorist exploded himself at the entry of the stadium. Apparently the idea was to do so inside the stadium but he couldn't, fortunately. All France, not just Paris, is in state of alert. The borders are closed and it's first time since after the second WWII. It would've been madness to go ahead with the competition, and just after 12 hours. You surely must see the gravity of situation and the extraordinary circumstances.

 

[Blades of Passion]

Let's pretend that Skate America was going on during the 9/11 attacks and the SP/SD had already happened. Would anyone really have expected the competition to continue?

This is no different.

It's much different. Various planes were not simultaneously hijacked and flown into two of the most renowned buildings in the world. Ground-scale terrorism in a specific city is nowhere close to the world trade center and the pentagon simultaneously being bombed by air.

Did any sporting events in the rest of the world stop the day after the Boston bombing?

 

[kiara_bleu]

Just to repeat, it was not ISU or the French federation who decided to cancel but government officials (not sure if national or specific to Bordeoux). I'm sure that the continuing investigations on the terror attacks and the risks of holding an international competition were deciding factors. It just emerged that one (or more) of the attackers had tickets to the football match but were stopped at the gate when they were searched and found to have bomb vests. They detonated it instead outside of the stadium injuring and killing people. Imagine how much more if they made it inside the stadium? This happened just the night before and was a well organized terror attack. What makes you sure that there were no plans to do this at other international events, with TEB being one of them? What makes you so sure that there are no lone wolf terrorists who won't be inspired by these events and decide to go over to TEB?

People talk about not allowing spectators but there are more involved in these events than just athletes, their entourage, judges, and skating representatives. How about the support staff needed for such an event? Have they been properly vetted? Can TEB organizers assure in less than 24 hours that they have made sure those who have access inside are all above board and that no one else can have entry?

There are raids in possible terror cells in Belgium, who knows if police in Bordeaux are also actively trying to investigate to make sure there isn't a threat locally.

 

[Mista Ekko]

Let's pretend that Skate America was going on during the 9/11 attacks and the SP/SD had already happened. Would anyone really have expected the competition to continue?

This is no different.

There are differences but it's not worth going into, Because you're probably right,
But there would have also been different opinions about how to react to the situation, And they are valid even if not acted upon.

 

[Blades of Passion]

And even if it was 9/11, I would not want the event to be cancelled, when it is far removed from the location of where the attacks happened and the day after. What good does that do for the world? I don't recall school being cancelled where I lived the day after 9/11. You have to talk about what's happening but you can't just halt everything.

 

[skatefan22]

Thanks for the video. I can see that the gathered skaters are anxious. I wonder they could be allowed to leave the place for going home until the announce for how to deal with the GP and GPF is made on Tuesday.

I think probably skaters are already planning to return home. Because from that Japanese news clip that I posted earlier, the JSF lady officer was telling Kanako that they think it is better to go back to Japan as soon as possible. Then Kanako asked "immediately?", the lady said yes because there is no need to stay there since they cannot compete anyway.

 

[Alba]

Did any sporting events in the rest of the world stop the day after the Boston bombing?

Sporting events are not cancelled in the rest of the world this time either. Just in France where the attacks happened.

 

[silverfoxes]

And even if it was 9/11, I would not want the event to be cancelled, when it is far removed from the location of where the attacks happened and the day after. What good does that do for the world? I don't recall school being cancelled where I lived the day after 9/11. You have to talk about what's happening but you can't just halt everything.

The ISU was ready to go ahead with it, but the French authorities said no. So maybe you should take it up with them.

 

[sabinfire]

I know the short programs are posted on the CBC website but the comentary by Kurt and Carol Lane I believe is live in the studio while they watch the programs.

I'm not sure what you mean by commentary being 'live in the studio'. Kurt & Carol recorded their commentary tracks today while they watched the SP's from yesterday. They keep referencing the terror attacks from Friday during their commentary, such as talking about how Yulia reached out on social media after the Paris attacks, during commentary on her short.

 

[Crossover]

I think probably skaters are already planning to return home. Because from that Japanese news clip that I posted earlier, the JSF lady officer was telling Kanako that they think it is better to go back to Japan as soon as possible. Then Kanako asked "immediately?", the lady said yes because there is no need to stay there since they cannot compete anyway.

Thanks for the detailed answer. I thought there could be a possibility that the skaters move to Russia where the next GP will be held, so they could perform the remained free skate, but I guess that possibility is very slim at this point. Safety should come first though.

 

[Mista Ekko]

I have nothing against discussing the GP placement or whatever else about FS but what you said it's not a matter of opinion. You were wrong. It's not the Mayor of Bordeaux (it was the French government who decided to cancel the Trophy and other sport events) and it's not about "feeling" to protect or not 40 or so skaters or deal with terrorism. It's about protecting all the people going to see the skaters above all and there is no security in the world that can deal with that properly. That is why in all countries you do cancel public manifestation in these circumstances because they become an easy target. Last night 100 people were killed in a concert hall, other 60.000 were trapped inside a football stadium and one of the terrorist exploded himself at the entry of the stadium. Apparently the idea was to do so inside the stadium but he couldn't, fortunately. All France, not just Paris, is in state of alert. The borders are closed and it's first time since after the second WWII. It would've been madness to go ahead with the competition, and just after 12 hours. You surely must see the gravity of situation and the extraordinary circumstances.

I think those people would've been safer in a well guarded concert hall than going out about the town and restaurants (Which is what i gather happened from some people who were there) if there was any indication for a security issue in Bordeuax that is, And again, Not all countries stop functioning regularly after terrorist attacks, But i absolutely can't blame the ones that do, I can have an opinion about it though, It still doesn't mean i don't mourn the loses and lay all night in bed thinking about that concert hall.

 

[Rissa]

This is ridiculous. A specific act of violence in another city suddenly makes all of France unsafe? It's as if people think World War 3 has broken out in France. This is insane. You can't stop life and give in to things like this. What a waste.

What the... ? It is as far from ridiculous as possible, what even... Yes, that act of violence makes the whole of France suddenly unsafe, at least at the nearest time. It's not a crazy guy shooting in the shopping mall yo get on the news, this is retaliation for the French bombings of Syria, a strike against the whole country, so how, just how, can the authorities who have missed something this big be sure they haven't missed something else and there isn't more planned? Right now, until they figure it out and up the security sufficiently, treating the whole country as unsafe has been deemed the most logical course of action. Thus the nationwide state of emergency, which skating competions are not exempt from.

It's much different. Various planes were not simultaneously hijacked and flown into two of the most renowned buildings in the world. Ground-scale terrorism in a specific city is nowhere close to the world trade center and the pentagon simultaneously being bombed by air.

Did any sporting events in the rest of the world stop the day after the Boston bombing?

Oh yes, America is different, of course. Because it was two big buildings and pentagon hit by planes as opposed to a stadium filled with 80 000 people with the president of France in attendance that were supposed to be atracked, the situation in France was so much less serious. Are you kidding me.

How about: we live in a post WTC reality where we have learned a few lessons? Security measures in place protected the stadium, who knows if the state of emergency hasn't/won't protect a number of people too.

 

[Ice Diva]

Je suis Parisienne.
My heart goes out to Parisians and all of France.

 

[LisaS]

I'm not sure what you mean by commentary being 'live in the studio'. Kurt & Carol recorded their commentary tracks today while they watched the SP's from yesterday. They keep referencing the terror attacks from Friday during their commentary, such as talking about how Yulia reached out on social media after the Paris attacks, during commentary on her short.

I meant live today in the studio not yesterday. Someone asked for the videos of the short programs with the cbc commentary which I said was live meaning today so would not be on the website with their commentary.

 

[Crossover]

Just to repeat, it was not ISU or the French federation who decided to cancel but government officials (not sure if national or specific to Bordeoux). I'm sure that the continuing investigations on the terror attacks and the risks of holding an international competition were deciding factors. It just emerged that one (or more) of the attackers had tickets to the football match but were stopped at the gate when they were searched and found to have bomb vests. They detonated it instead outside of the stadium injuring and killing people. Imagine how much more if they made it inside the stadium? This happened just the night before and was a well organized terror attack. What makes you sure that there were no plans to do this at other international events, with TEB being one of them? What makes you so sure that there are no lone wolf terrorists who won't be inspired by these events and decide to go over to TEB?

People talk about not allowing spectators but there are more involved in these events than just athletes, their entourage, judges, and skating representatives. How about the support staff needed for such an event? Have they been properly vetted? Can TEB organizers assure in less than 24 hours that they have made sure those who have access inside are all above board and that no one else can have entry?

There are raids in possible terror cells in Belgium, who knows if police in Bordeaux are also actively trying to investigate to make sure there isn't a threat locally.

That makes sense. Until reading your post, I believed the cancellation is a unwise decision, but you changed my thought on the matter. :agree:
Still, I don't think it will be fair to take only the short program results for consideration without any further rain check for the FS. However, we'll see how the ISU handles the matter soon.

 

[leafygreens]

Personally, I don't care what Phil thinks about the situation. I will feel and think what I feel and think and will care about what I care about. Just another person who feels everyone is obligated to think and feel about something the way he does.

Agreed. There is nothing wrong with discussing the effects of terrorism on a skating competition in the forum for that specific skating competition. We are all disappointed that it's cancelled, but that doesn't mean we don't care deeply about the victims. I'm sure that the soccer fans are also discussing the game that was cancelled. We've all said our piece for the well being of everyone involved, in different places. Phil didn't care to take that into consideration. That's all I'm going to say about him. He's not even worth our time.

I agree with the decision to cancel the event, I don't think any other response would have made sense.

To figure out final qualifying:

Take the top 6 based on results not including TEB. Then look at TEB competitors, and see whether they would have been placed above skater #6 *if they had won TEB*. If yes, add them to the final. If no, do not add them to the final. If that means there are, say, 9 men and 7 or 8 ladies in the final, fine.

That makes as much sense as anything I've read so far. It gives everyone a fair level of benefit of the doubt, without making skaters jump through harsh hoops of competing at extra GP's. It's not the extra skating that exhausts the athletes, it's the extra traveling, jet lag etc.

 

[padme21]

It's much different. Various planes were not simultaneously hijacked and flown into two of the most renowned buildings in the world. Ground-scale terrorism in a specific city is nowhere close to the world trade center and the pentagon simultaneously being bombed by air.

Did any sporting events in the rest of the world stop the day after the Boston bombing?

And even if it was 9/11, I would not want the event to be cancelled, when it is far removed from the location of where the attacks happened and the day after. What good does that do for the world? I don't recall school being cancelled where I lived the day after 9/11. You have to talk about what's happening but you can't just halt everything.

I remember I was in school when 9/11 happen. School was not cancelled that day nor the following days. But I'm pretty sure schools near NYC and DC were cancelled. I lived states away from the attacks.

 

[cheerknithanson]

I remember I was in school when 9/11 happen. School was not cancelled that day nor the following days. But I'm pretty sure schools near NYC and DC were cancelled. I lived states away from the attacks.

I live in Northern VA and yeah apparently my school got out early (According to my parents). Though I'm super ashamed to say, that though I was 6 years old at the time, I don't remember 9/11. I don't remember anything of that day. The closest I can remember is 3 days prior when I went to a wedding.

 

[sabinfire]

I meant live today in the studio not yesterday. Someone asked for the videos of the short programs with the cbc commentary which I said was live meaning today so would not be on the website with their commentary.

Still a little confused by what you mean. How is CBC commentary 'live' when they are recording it privately so they can show it at a later time on tape-delay? 'Live in studio' implies that it is being broadcast at that exact moment, not just being recorded for later... right?

So, the footage Kurt & Carol watched was from tape-delay from yesterday, so they could record commentary today, so the entire broadcast could be shown on CBC on tape-delay. Nothing live here.