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They're planning to hold WTT this year too? But why? Is it a qualifier for anything?
2021 Worlds are still on
- Thread starter gsk8
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- Mar 20, 2019
Figure skating not being a big sport is good and bad. Good is that there might not be as much of a risk of spread as other events. Bad is that the financial incentives won't factor at all. We'll see, but we have to assume the number of cases is going to get worse and worse.
What has Sweden done historically when cases started to rise? If they decide to stop flights or harsh quarantine etc. then there's no hope.
What has Sweden done historically when cases started to rise? If they decide to stop flights or harsh quarantine etc. then there's no hope.
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Most bubbles work only if no skater is infected when entering it.
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Missing Worlds for 2 years in a row would be so disappointing. Purely from an ISU perspective it was a good decision or luck since Sweden doesn't seem too strict.
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Honestly I don't know, but it says so in the document that it will take place if Japan allows it. Japanese FS events had some audience this year, so maybe ISU hopes to get that coin? Otherwise WTT is no bigger than GPF or Euros, it's just a fluff event where one can get a nice season's best.
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Indeed, that's why I was wondering if the Speed Skaters also showed up only a few days prior to the event. Without the 2 weeks quarantine, no-one gettting an infection at the Speed Skating World's would be more a case of good luck rather than proper planning and the problem with luck is what happens when it runs out?
The World's is at the the end of the month, if I was a skater in Europe who could get to Sweden by private transport I'd be inclined to quarantine at home before showing up. That way you could be pretty sure that at least you don't have the virus on arrival.
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They decided not to compete because they haven't had enough time to prepare and they are trying to deal with the mental health situations caused by COVID-19.
Skaters train everyday at rinks-they have been all season-and are more than happy and willing to go to Worlds.
This "cancel worlds" thing is getting ridiculous and starts to seem like an obsession. Besides projection of fear onto others' business.
Meanwhile the event is still scheduled to go as planned.
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I think I would need to disagree. Someone else's "business" is mine when it comes to a pandemic. As we say in the US, your right to swing your arm ends where my nose begins. And in this instance, all someone else needs to do is cough to make me sick, I don't think that makes me afraid, it makes me cautious to want protocols enforced.
Skaters in Canada have been training at rinks with protocols rigorously enforced. So, IF the ISU rigorously enforce the protocols, well, of course I would love to see Sinnerman again. But not at the risk of anyone's health. And it is up to health professionals to make those decisions, not athletes whose judgment could be impaired by their desire to go to worlds.
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Sweden "not being too strict" is NOT a good thing, it is a BAD thing, at least to anyone with a brain.
They’re not gonna cancel Worlds, no worries.
Challenge Cup appears to have gone without any problems either, after all the speed skating.
And, oh look!!
ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships - International Skating Union
The International Skating Union is the international sport federation administering Ice Skating sports throughout the world.
www.isu.org
The world of skating doesn’t just consist of figure skating.The ISU has plenty of experience with this bubble before FS Worlds. As long as it doesn’t fail, they have no reason to adjust it, and adjustments can and will be made if proven necessary.
Oh, and I haven’t heard anything about skaters being forced against their will to go to CC. Even though the Netherlands probably has higher levels covid than Sweden (and, at the risk of sounding like a broken record, all those ISU competitions here were held during a time with lockdown, and later a curfew, closed stores, restaurants, etc. etc. So yeah, we have a covid problem here.
And yet...
Skaters and coaches seem perfectly willing to take the chance of coming to these events. They live for these competitions.
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The information on ventilation and air circulation is really interesting and would obviously be of concern to all skaters. However, although it’s clear there would some increased risk for figure skaters (my guess is during LTS with multiple groups on the ice simultaneously, in freestyle sessions, and for elite skaters during 6 minute warmups), the article doesn’t address this, focusing on hockey games which pretty clearly pose a greater risk. In the US we’ve seen a lot of outbreaks among local hockey teams leading to rink closures, but I’m not aware of similar outbreaks/closures among US figure skaters at any level. I might just be ill informed. But I also know there are restrictions in place for freestyle etc. I think there may have been a few cases of Covid at the World Arena and in Monument, but I haven’t heard that either rink had a major problem.
First, I was not talking only about Canada, but rinks all over the world.I think I would need to disagree. Someone else's "business" is mine when it comes to a pandemic. As we say in the US, your right to swing your arm ends where my nose begins. And in this instance, all someone else needs to do is cough to make me sick, I don't think that makes me afraid, it makes me cautious to want protocols enforced.
Skaters in Canada have been training at rinks with protocols rigorously enforced. So, IF the ISU rigorously enforce the protocols, well, of course I would love to see Sinnerman again. But not at the risk of anyone's health. And it is up to health professionals to make those decisions, not athletes whose judgment could be impaired by their desire to go to worlds.
Second, what is disturbing is the fact that some fans would cancel worlds in a heartbeat, if they would hypothetically have the power, despite the people involved, aka skaters and organizers, wanting to go, and Swedish health professionals and government still being okay with it going ahead.
You kinda missed my point. It's not someone else's business if the ones competing are the skaters and not you, so live and let live. You're free to be concerned if someone coughs near you--not what I was saying...
I wasn't even discussing people wanting protocols to be enforced (which of course is legitimate-have all the precautions, ban Russians and any other delegation if they go around mask-less and stuff), I was talking only about people wanting the event to get cancelled. Don't imply I'm against protocols by me saying it's people directly involved' business.
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It is not "others business" when it involves other countries skaters. Its only "others business" when its Nationals, that dont involve other countries.
When its an International competition, it becomes others business cos other countries are participating.
If anything were to happen to my country's one and only representative in figure skating at WC(and therefore 2022 Olympics), and it is found its due to lax Covid ruling on the part ISU....
Then, my government will issue a strongly worded letter demanding answers from ISU. With a copy to IOC.
It IS our business cos taxpayers money is funding the athletes, even if not fully.
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So you feel you have the right to pressure towards the cancelation of Worlds because you feel it's your business and right to decide/have a say over an important event in the career of athletes who actually do the hard work to go there?? Having into account the anti-COVID measures are all set and approved by professionals, local government and by organizer's efforts?
Okay.
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Honestly, measures mentioned by ISU do not seem that bad. Skaters will do at least 3 tests during the week, will wear masks nearly everywhere and due to nature of the sport, contact will be minimal. Some are asking for quarantine, but 2 weeks in hotel room and then going on ice doesn't sound good either. Other ISU events in bubble went well too. People are scared of Russians ignoring the measures, but they only behaved like they did at home because no one enforced the rules and there was no social pressure either. They won't risk even a smallest chance of being disqualified. So it's up to Sweden to decide if they want it to go ahead.
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Off topic, @eaglehelang, but is it confirmed that Julian will be at Worlds? I have doubts as to whether it should go on, but if it does, I hope it can be done safely and to see him.
But I think that is my point. Rinks all over the world are not complying with strict safety measures. If they were all taking the measures that Canada was taking, I would feel much better.
I do not want to cancel Worlds in a "heartbeat". My favorite skater is not getting any younger and I would guess the next few years will be his last competing. But the decision to hold Worlds cannot be determined simply because some skater or skaters think it is their last best chance to medal. That is irrelevant to a health decision. And such a health decision is not intruding on "their" business. It is everyone's business.
I am hoping that Sweden has learned that protocols must be strictly enforced and will do so, if Worlds is held. I am indeed hoping for the best.
I don't know what the above has to do with what I said.
It's not about last chances to medal, no one is certain they will medal, not even Nathan or Yuzuru or Shcherbakova, especially this uncertain season with possible positive tests and the like.
It's about being allowed to compete in an important competition, in a bubble with precautions taken, without pressure that it may get cancelled once again last minute. The possibility is still there but certain fans constantly insisting it should get cancelled when we're two weeks until the event is getting obsessive. The pressure is high enough already with the uncertainty.
You reacted to me saying people project their fear onto others (which is true) and went on a tangent about you being afraid of people coughing near you and you're right to feel that way. I'm afraid too, that's why I'm careful to wash my hands often enough and wear a mask when needed and not go party during a pandemic etc, but Worlds circumstances are a different situation and people DIRECTLY involved can decide on their own if they wanna risk or not. After all it's not like it's illegal to hold competitions. But maybe I'm not expressing myself clearly enough, after all English is not my first language.
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I'm not saying cancel Worlds. But to have more strict rules & regular testing. The ISU protocols are lax, in comparison to the ones we have here in Asia Pacific region for sports tournaments.
There's a loop hole where if a skater has tested positive, they just need to declare they have had Covid before and they're good to go. Back door way to allow Russia to participate since Russia have quite a number elite skaters who have had Covid.
As in examples already given(multiple times), athletes still tested positive even with the strict protocols we have here. Even with bubble, quarantine time, masks, etc.
And we only know abt it because there's regular testing throughout the tournament.
We cannot rely on luck that all athletes entering the tournament does not have Covid due to the presence of a high risk group/country - > Russia.
In Asia region, a national team athlete belongs to the country, so to speak. It is my business as taxpayer & my government's business to ensure their safety & health are safeguarded.
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