TEB is Cancelled

[Mista Ekko]

The argument of what's the best way of coping after terrorist attacks yields valid points from both it's sides
In the end the people who need to make a choice will make a choice,
No one can really say whether it was the right choice, But it had to be made in that moment.

 

[Watermelondrea]

Still no final verdict of how this competition will be handled, huh? Maybe they're taking the day to figure out a plan, any posibility that it will be held tomorrow and there will be no gala?

 

[salchowx4]

Canceling the competition is not the decision I likely would have made if I were in the local government's position, but it's not an unreasonable one given the circumstances.

As for what should be done now, I see only two acceptable options. Either go by the SP/SD results only or figure out a way to hold the FS/FD portion of this competition at one of the remaining Grand Prix events. Since going by the short results is the much simpler option, it wouldn't surprise me at all if that's what they end up going with.

I am totally opposed to using prior GP results, personal bests, etc. as substitutes for the free skating scores. That isn't sport.

Anyway, there is a great discussion going on here, and I don't think it's disrespectful or inappropriate to talk about these things.

 

[Alba]

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,

Inside a building you're much more vulnerable and what happened was that the majority of people killed were in that concert hall. In anycase, I think French government are in a much better position to judge what's the right or wrong thing to do in this case. As I said this happened 12 hours before the FS today and the country is in state of alert. Not all countries stop functioning and neither is France. Cancelling sporting events for a few days doesn't mean that a country stops functioning. These are security measures in extraordinary circumstances. Life will go on for sure but to act like nothing happened in these situation is silly, at least. If not for security reasons even for mourning it's the right thing to do.

It still doesn't mean i don't mourn the loses and lay all night in bed thinking about that concert hall.

Nobody expects that. I just finished watching Sweden-Denmark football match and I don't feel bad or ashamed about it. I'm sure there are many people in France who are having a good night out, or making love, right not. That's perfectly human but this isn't about you or me. It's not about just individuals. It's a national tragedy and France was attacked last night. As such the government has the responsibility to take a decision for all. There is time for celebration and there is time for mourning also. This is life also.

 

[LisaS]

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.

Does it matter? I thought they were in the studio live looking at the tapes from yesterday. Obviously you have knowledge that they recorded it prior to it airing that I did not. The way the present it on tv looks live just like hockey night in Canada commentators who are live The reason I posted was to tell this board what they were saying about the results being based on the short program. Now Michael Slipchuck was interviewed and confirmed it was a recommendation but it hasn't been decided yet. I will now go back to my lurkdom so I don't get jumped on again for using q word incorrectly

 

[Violet Bliss]

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 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.

Terrorists actually don't have so many resources to execute many acts of violence continuously. Suicide soldiers need to be indoctrinated and trained, ammunition sourced, transported and hidden, and events need to be planned. They are dead or on the run as soon as an attack is carried out and unlikely able to wreak further attacks when the country is on the highest alert. Plus, it would be a more effective use of their resources to pace the attacks, to keep the people in fear. They want to terrorize the masses by targeting seemingly random ordinary people. These Paris targets were carefully chosen - going to a soccer game, theatre, or a restaurant are activities just about all French do and can relate to. A figure skating competition, not as much.

I doubt TEB at Bordeaux would be a likely target but closing was probably quite necessary out of sensitivity for the victims and their families, for the frayed nerves of the terrorized public, as well as for the responsibilities for the international athletes.

 

[sabinfire]

Does it matter? I thought they were in the studio live looking at the tapes from yesterday. Obviously you have knowledge that they recorded it prior to it airing that I did not. The way the present it on tv looks live just like hockey night in Canada commentators who are live.

Oh, I think I see where you're coming from -- you're saying that you think Kurt & Carol are broadcasting live on CBC while watching tape-delayed skating?

Hockey Night in Canada is actually live because CBC covers hockey games live, so that's correct.

 

[LisaS]

Oh, I think I see where you're coming from -- you're saying that you think Kurt & Carol are broadcasting live on CBC while watching tape-delayed skating?

Hockey Night in Canada is actually live because CBC covers hockey games live, so that's correct.

Yes live in the studio watching the tapes

 

[wokulski]

I'm sure there are many people in France who are having a good night out, or making love,

having a good night out? i dont think so...
makig love or havin' sex??there s a difference

 

[Rissa]

I doubt TEB at Bordeaux would be a likely target but closing was probably quite necessary out of sensitivity for the victims and their families, for the frayed nerves of the terrorized public, as well as for the responsibilities for the international athletes.

For all your reasoning, the authorities don't have the crystal ball and can't be sure nothing would happen. Sensitivity is nice, but actual erring on the side of caution is even nicer. Small chance of something happening is not zero, and frankly, authorities have more important things to do than analyze what the chances of a terrorist attack on an international figure skating competion in Bordeaux are. "We're not taking any chances, we're shutting everything down for a while," is actually a pretty good policy in such chaotic situation. "We thought nothing would have happened," if something happened wouldn't cut it.

 

[Pamigena]

I think the authorities would have had bigger problems to deal with than to carefully assess if this figure skating event was likely to become another target. It probably would have been safe. But what if anything had happened? When there was a terrorist attack as recent as 12 hours ago and a state of emergency has been declared for the whole country, I fail to see how it is a bad idea to say "better safe than sorry"

 

[jagragold]

I think too that they will use the sp results to make the gp final placements.

 

[Kenyie]

No, I'm asking (not demanding) that everyone calm down. And have a little perspective.

 

[hydroblader]

My thoughts:

My heart goes out to the people of Paris, there suffering and heartache must be immeasurable. We the citizens of this planet she are your sorrow.

Although regrettable, the cancellation of the TEB was likely the safest decision possible, skating is secondary to the safety of everyone.

GPF solutions: since it is unlikely that a replacement competition to skate the FS is likely, and we do not wish to dispense with the SP scores for everyone. Why could they not let the first or best GP results for all skaters count as full points, and reduce the value of the second lower scoring GP event by 50%. This mitigates the unfair use of the SP score to equal another events SP/FP totals. So if someone placed first in one event and third in another they would get 15 and 6.5 points (50% of 11) so a skater at TEB using the SP placements as there ranking would only score half the points. Every other skater who didn't skate TEB, would just have their lowest scoring GP placement also reduced by 50 %. Winning two GP events would still garner you the highest possible score of 15 plus 7.5, and allow the skaters who only skated the SP to not be penalized for not skating an LP. In this way all skaters could share equally the burden of the lost LP scores for TEB.

Just a thought.

 

[Alba]

These Paris targets were carefully chosen - going to a soccer game, theatre, or a restaurant are activities just about all French do and can relate to. A figure skating competition, not as much. I doubt TEB at Bordeaux would be a likely target but closing was probably quite necessary out of sensitivity for the victims and their families, for the frayed nerves of the terrorized public, as well as for the responsibilities for the international athletes.

Perhaps but as government you have responsibilities, as you said, and you simply can't take that risk just because FS is not such a French thing to do. The point is that any kind of public manifestation, be that a sporting event, concert, theatre, opera etc. are cancelled in these cases and it's the most reasonable thing to do - especially when all this happens in such a short time - for security reasons in first place. But even if it was only for mourning it's not strange at all. Serie A, the highest football category in Italy, stopped for a whole weekend when Piermario Morosini, a football player in Serie B (the second category) died in 2012. The same in Argentina this year in May, when the young player Emanuel Ortega died also. It happens in Basket also. Therefore, if a single Federation does that out of respect and sensitivity towards one of their own, the government surely does the same out of respect and sensitivity of their own people who were attacked in quite a big scale in their capital.

 

[havefun]

Yes live in the studio watching the tapes

I can't believe the responses here. I was in NYC for 9/11 however it was air attacks. I did not feel the fear that my location could be suddenly overwhelmed by gunshots out of nowhere.

- Had this event been held in Paris it is not impossible that it would have been a target.
- Would a skater really want to take center ice within 12 hours of an attack of this magnitude, in the same country in which they are competing?.
- As a parent of a skater. "no way, no where, no how" would i want my child competing in this situation, in a country that is on high alert with the possible, although not probable risk of further attacks.
-All security and intelligence resources in France need to be focused on this historic attack of their country. Not wasted on a skating competition.
- The shine of any medals or results from this event would be forever tainted, given the circumstances.

Lastly kudos to ISU, the skaters and their support personnel for the handling of this situation. With their reaction they have shown respect, class and dignity toward their fellow competitors and associates.

 

[whatif]

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 think you are missing or confusing the context. Maybe USA, Canada, China or Russia would go on with their lives easy if an incident of this scale happened in one of the states. It's all in comparison. France is less than the size of tri-state area. Paris/Bordeux train ride as about the same distance as NYC/Albany. Also France is not used to deal with security emergency of this scale. Some of the attackers, the ones who used automatic rifles to shoot people on the streets calmly escaped and the manhunt is still ongoing and that's why the curfew and security checks are imposed. And that's only what security services are aware of. They do not have the police and armed forces of the size of Chinese army, so it's wise to not waste resources in given circumstances.

 

[ramurphy2005]

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.

I was a freshman in high school on 9/11, and I still remember sitting in my English class when my teacher told us about it. I remember being confused and numb after hearing the news, and the rest of the day was just not normal.

I don't really know how much of that day either of my younger sisters remember, one was 9 and the other was 7 at the time. My mother was working (and still works) at my baby sister's elementary school, and even though the teachers knew, the news was kept from the little kids. I don't know what was told to my other sister, either. I honestly have no idea what they may or may not remember about that day.

I didn't know about the Marathon bombings right away because I hadn't been watching the television, or looking at any web pages where I'd see news reports pop up. We were paying attention to all of the stuff in the aftermath. They caught the guy several blocks away from where one of my aunts lives, so it was so surreal seeing some places on TV during the news coverage that I'd been to several times while visiting her.

 

[grantrf98]

It is fair to assume that ALL posters in this thread have shared their prayers and condolences for those affected in Paris yesterday. So after skimming through every page, I am appalled by those who are shaming and criticizing the posts concerning solutions for TEB and the GPF. Isn't the main purpose of the GS Forum to discuss the sport of Figure Skating? Especially in this thread titled, "TEB is cancelled?" There is another thread titled "Paris Shootings and Explosions," where posters could discuss what they think and how they feel about this horrible tragedy, without mentioning figure skating. I, who mourns all those affected by terrorism, would greatly appreciate the readers of this post not to ridicule me for suggesting a solution to the cancellation of TEB instead of posting about the evil of these terrorist attacks.


I understand the French government's decision to cancel TEB. It might have been better to postpone it until Sunday, in my opinion, but terrorism is not an issue to take lightly. I have read some posts comparing the cancellation of TEB to the postponements of baseball, which I believe this is an unfair comparison: Baseball(during the regular season) can end the game early not only because most of the game has been completed, but also due to the other 161 games in the season. Teams that deserve a playoff spot won't be snubbed by a single called-off game. I know WEATHER does not come close to the circumstances of TERRORISM but lets take yesterday for an example. There were bomb threats hours before the Germany v. France match. The bombs went off in the middle of the football match. Yet they continued to play the FRIENDLY instead of taking the athletes into the locker room, allowing spectators to spread out throughout the stadium, in case a bomber sat in the middle of a crowd.

Unlike other sports where it usually takes a day to complete a game or match or a round, it takes both the SP and LP to complete a figure skating event. It's impossible to determine a victor from just SP scores. There must be a LP to solve this problem. Even if TEB continued, the mentalities of most of the skaters were probably not in the best shape. Here's what I believe how ISU should solve this problem: Those skaters who will compete at CoR or NHK should have their LP act as their LP score at TEB. Those who already competed at another GP should be able to voluntarily choose to complete their LP at either one of the final two GPs or in Barcelona at the GPF. After reading other posts, many have said money, visas, and other logistics are problems, all of which I know very little about. But ending it with SP scores will not work.

 

[Alba]

having a good night out? i dont think so...

Well, obviously I can't know for sure what all France population were doing this evening. I just think there must be people having a dinner out somewhere in Normandy or wherever else. France is big and I don't see a problem with that. People in Paris were advised today not to go out of their houses unless it was necessary and yet people were out, which is perfectly normal. The government has declared 3 days mourning, not a curfew.