ISU to allow "neutral" skaters from RUS/BLR to compete at 2026 Olympics

[Skating Bobr]

No Russian medal contenders will be eligible. All the well known ones have either attended a government event or train directly with a team that is associated with the Kremlin or a military sports club. Sport in Russia is literally state sponsored which means every athlete is used by the state. The young ones who would probably pass the criteria but aren't old enough for the Olympics. And knowing Russia, its gold or bust (remember how they whined about team bronze?) so I think Russia will end up not sending anyone and then try to play the victim card of the world having too much Russophobia.

 

[Couch Expert]

All the well known ones have either attended a government event or train directly with a team that is associated with the Kremlin or a military sports club.

Alina Gorbacheva is perfectly capable of winning medal. Well, in ideal world where PCS/GOE judged in real time according to what judges are seeing on ice - and not based on reputation and familiarity with skater long before skating even begins.

try to play the victim card of the world having too much Russophobia.

For which they have full right btw. Doing figure skating in Russia fully independently is only possible on low level. If you are high level skater - you are automatically become state sponsored. Refusing this free support due to some political convictions (which majority of young skaters just don't have anyway) is as clever as refusing from free education, free medicine or pensions. It's literally default obligation of any state caring about their citizens - and have nothing to do with their indoctrination or brainwashing.

 

[lariko]

They don't need to play anything. These conditions are basically designed in such a way that the participation can be canceled at any moment, generating a scandal (Skater XYZ particulated in Plushenko's show in 2023, their source of funding is from a person supporting war) as there are clauses that do that, and the amount of psychological and physical pressure on anyone who goes to qualify in September to China is simply unacceptable to anyone humane. The most amusing thing is that enforces medival Russian legal principle of collective responsibility. It's just bad. RusFed should refuse it if they are serious about their mandate to protect athletes.

 

[Baron Vladimir]

The problem is, I dont think thats working in athletes way, better than it worked when they knew they are all banned... I certainly wouldn't go with those rules, just because the pressure which comes with it to compete... Unless I am Anna Shcherbakova or in that state of mind

 

[Mathman]

We all know how PCS/GOE judging works in figure skating. To have decent scores there - a skater should gradually build their reputation throughout the season - or even several seasons. It's especially important for new skaters. No matter how good one can skate - judges are not going to give them high scores if they are not familiar with them.

I will be interested in seeing how this plays out. I doubt that any international figure skating judge is "unfamiliar" with Petrosian, for instance.

 

[Baron Vladimir]

I mean, its kind of funny, but we will need Kiira Korpi to protect those athletes mental health, if she still cares about the topic

 

[Couch Expert]

I will be interested in seeing how this plays out. I doubt that any international figure skating judge is "unfamiliar" with Petrosian, for instance.

When was last time Petrosian skated internationally? In juniors, right? As far as I know - pools of judges for juniors and seniors usually are different. And after three years judges will be changed to others anyway. And even for famous skaters there is this widely known effect of lower PCS/GOE scores in the beginning of the season each time - gradually increasing towards the end. For new or returning after long pause skaters this effect is even more pronounced. You can argue that judges could watch russian comps to famirialize yourself with her skating - but how many of them would bother to do it? Especially if they want their skater to succeed - not russian one. It's too much honor for some skater from banned country.

 

[Baron Vladimir]

When was last time Petrosian skated internationally? In juniors, right? As far as I know - pools of judges for juniors and seniors usually are different. And after three years judges will be changed to others anyway. And even for famous skaters there is this widely known effect of lower PCS/GOE scores in the beginning of the season each time - gradually increasing towards the end. For new or returning after long pause skaters this effect is even more pronounced. You can argue that judges could watch russian comps to famirialize yourself with her skating - but how many of them would bother to do it? Especially if they want their skater to succeed - not russian one. It's too much honor for some skater from banned country.

The fact is, judges indeed appreciate skaters who are 'watchable' during the whole ISU season. Both Pluschenko and Yu Na in their come back at Olympics skated in the first group, and got probably less points than they would get by skating in the last group... Opposite of what Kaori Sakamoto is doing for example... Which is - you need to be in the ISU competitions during the whole year, or more years better, to be rewarded... We are giving you points for staying with us the whole time, fair as it is...

 

[Mathman]

When was last time Petrosian skated internationally?

I don't knpw about the negligent amd unobservant judges, but I for one have seen this skater many times on the Internet. She's pretty good, if you ask me.

 

[Mathman]

I wouldn't call it exactly corruption. It's more like full vassalage to american/european financial institutions and interests of its ruling class.

Alas, we are too late. The ruling classes have already infiltrated figure skating. It is part of their plot to achieve world domination. Today, figure skating. Tomorrow, trampoline.

 

[lariko]

The problem is, I dont think thats working in athletes way, better than it worked when they knew they are all banned... I certainly wouldn't go with those rules, just because the pressure which comes with it to compete... Unless I am Anna Shcherbakova or in that state of mind

They will not be allowed to even open their mouth out of fear that they might say, thanks, Milano! Truly vile politicians are treated with courtesy. These athletes will be treated as per the set of rules written out with uttermost disdain. this doesn’t in any way reduce the purported misuse of athletes in propaganda. The selected six, if RusFed accepts, will be the Martyrs of All Russia on skates and plenty of noise and rehashes of all ills. It's all wrong. They should have simply and quietly opened challengers, JGP and GP, and kept Russians out of Oly, Eu and Worlds until political situation is resolved.

 

[Baron Vladimir]

They will not be allowed to even open their mouth out of fear that they might say, thanks, Milano! Truly vile politicians are treated with courtesy. These athletes will be treated as per the set of rules written out with uttermost disdain. this doesn’t in any way reduce the purported misuse of athletes in propaganda. The selected six, if RusFed accepts, will be the Martyrs of All Russia on skates and plenty of noise and rehashes of all ills. It's all wrong. They should have simply and quietly opened challengers, JGP and GP, and kept Russians out of Oly, Eu and Worlds until political situation is resolved.

They will have the pressure of Russian federation who want them back of course, but also some European public who don't want them back, ISU who will not find the way to deal with it, and media who just want to sell the news. As i said, if they are not in a mental state of Anna Shcherbakova, their skating performance will be as bad as Valieva's at last Olympics... as the worst you ever skated in your own life... And i guess, nobody wants to go with that fear in the competition, to fail, or to be the worst version of yourself... I'm afraid the amount of pressure will be impossible for those athletes to compete at their best or at all, but lets see...

 

[Couch Expert]

I also noticed quite interesting blunder about this ISU document. Which reveal their hypocrisy behind all this lipservice. They are talking about "neutral" athletes and their neutrality a lot. Going as far as demanding nonpatriotic political stance and all financial expenses being put on athletes themselves. However - they still want RusFed (clearly state sponsored organization) to make decision who they want to qualify! ISU is not going to ask athletes send their admission letters themselves - from which they could make a full list and choose who they would want to qualify. That would be true neutral approach, wouldn't it? But in fact we have situation when ISU is really don't care about all this "neutral" buzzwords - and using them just for appearances. Doing so they still recognize "neutral" skaters as part of the state - and making this as political as possible. There never was any neutrality - and not going to be.

 

[Couch Expert]

Alas, we are too late. The ruling classes have already infiltrated figure skating. It is part of their plot to achieve world domination.. Today, figure skating. Tomorrow, trampoline.

You can sell it as funny and ridiculous as you want. However you won't be able to explain rationally without involving "ruling class interests" why ISU forbid Russian athletes to speak with media in the "free speech" democratic world. Why ISU didn't ban certain other country than Russia who did lot of bad things against civilians and unprovokedly invaded neighbour country just two weeks ago. There is nothing neutral or nonpolitical about ISU or IOC at all - and probably never was.

 

[Baron Vladimir]

At the end, ISU is an organization, and it is all about the money... When they need money they will allow Russian athletes to compete, and that has nothing to do with the principles of sport, world justice, or most sadly with the athletes themselves...

 

[LazyFuzai]

Such a disaster from ISU.May be time to stop watching figure skating.

 

[katymay]

I’m don’t think the event S/B were at was a rally but a general event that lots of athletes were at? It will be interesting to see how the criteria is applied.

Looking down the road, I think Vlad could well challenge Ilya. He has the same jumping ability as Ilya, just needs to work on the rest, and there is plenty of time. He is also very close to the 4A, and he has the leg power and rotation speed to do it.

 

[streams4dreams]

if they are not in a mental state of Anna Shcherbakova

They could in principle send Anna I know, I know, she seems to have moved on from competitive skating, but more seriously, would Tuktamysheva or Trusova want to compete again?

 

[Baron Vladimir]

They could in principle send Anna I know, I know, she seems to have moved on from competitive skating, but more seriously, would Tuktamysheva or Trusova want to compete again?

I don't think majority of those athletes want to compete ever again, especially in these times... They gave enough from their life to skating...

 

[FlossieH]

What is the situation with Viktoriia Safonova (BLR)? Does she still skate, or did she retire?