I don't see the problem with down-sizing the ice surfaces to NHL size.
Yes, skaters who train in Canada and the United States will have more familiarity, or as some have called it, an advantage, competing on the smaller ice surface, but that in itself doesn't mean the advantage
only goes to N.A. competitors. Nor does it mean, now that every Federation has been given "3 years notice" as to the change in ice size, that skaters who have never competed on NHL size ice can't be given an opportunity to either skate/compete on, or simulate skating on, the smaller surface. It is extremely simple to shrink an ice surface ... put out a few pilons or lay down a few practice gloves to make a new outline for the reduced size. Its just that simple. Changing an ice surface from NHL to Olympic size however, isn't nearly as simple a task
Many, many competitors from
countries other than Canada or the U.S., such as:
Singles:
Nobunari Oda, Daisuke Takahasi, Min Zhang, Jamal Othman, Roman Serov, Yoshie Onda, Fumie Suguri, Mao Asada, Miki Ando, Julia Sebestyean, Annette Dytrt, Tugba Karademir, Carolina Kostner, Dance:
Chait & Sakhnovski, Zaretski & Zaretski, Faiella & Scali, Fraser & Lukanin, Kauc & Zych, Golovina & Voiko, Pairs:
Shen & Zhao, Zhang & Zhang, Zagorska & Zuidek, Spassova & Todorov to name just a few, either train somewhere in N.A., if not all year long, they train for at least for a portion of their year,
or they come to N.A. to have their choreography set by Lori Nicol, David Wilson, Lea Ann Miller, Sara Kawahara, Joanne McLeod, Nikolai Morosov, Alexander Shulin, etc. etc.
Or, in the case of the world's best or most decorated skaters, such as Irina Slutskya, Evgeny Plushenko, Stephane Lambiel, they have the opportunity to perform for months in North American touring ice shows such as SOI or COI; very nearly without exception, on smaller ice surfaces. These skaters have all had ample opportunity to familiarize themselves with the non-Olympic size venue. As for future stars who might be Olympic competitors in 2010, their Federations will just have to ensure they are sent out to JGP or SGP competitions in N.A., or are able to train on a smaller ice surface in Europe etc. or buy a big supply of practice gloves
and make sure their coaches' are routinely having their skaters simulate skating on the NHL ice size.
As for the hockey teams ... they have been coming to N.A., for years and years, from both the Junior and the Senior ranks, it hasn't affected the competition one bit. If North American teams can adjust and play European style hockey in the World Cup(s), surely the non-N.A. teams can adjust their game and play on an NHL size ice surface.
To cut back now, I would think, is cutting back on their contract... and shouldn't be allowed... period.
