New ISU rule on citizenship and residency requirements

[BlissfulSynergy]

Communication No. 2526: Rule 109 - Citizenship / Residence Requirements and Clearance Procedure

Can someone help with deciphering what this new rule 109 means exactly, particularly for impacted pairs and ice dance teams?

 

[NanaPat]

I'll take a stab at A a). Who needs a clearance:

If skater is not a citizen of the ISU member country they wish to represent

If skater is a citizen of the ISU member country they wish to represent but has previously represented another ISU member

I initially read the second part totally backwards and thought that skaters didn't need a clearance to represent a country where they are a citizen. That would seem fair to me. I can't remember any examples of a skater having difficulty or a long wait to get such a clearance. Examples I recall: Vaness James FRA->CAN, Mervyn Tran JPN->CAN.

 

[FlossieH]

Edited at NanaPat's request to remove something she posted in error.

My reading of a) (ii) is that clearance is still required if the skater has citizenship but has been representing a different ISU member.

 

[NanaPat]

My reading of a) (ii) is that clearance is still required if the skater has citizenship but has been representing a different ISU member.

Yes. I realized it shortly after I posted and edited my post. I even removed almost everything and saved it, but you were too quick off the mark.

I would appreciate it if you would edit your post to remove my fevered ramblings from my quoted post!! Or at least remove all the examples.

 

[FlossieH]

Yes. I realized it shortly after I posted and edited my post. I even removed almost everything and saved it, but you were too quick off the mark.

I would appreciate it if you would edit your post to remove my fevered ramblings from my quoted post!! Or at least remove all the examples.

Done. Your original post was convincing enough for me to doubt myself and check and double-check before I posted!

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

Hmm, the document takes a lot of close reading and reflecting. I wish a figure skating podcaster would break it down and explain the ramifications. A lot of fs podcasters must be on summer vacation. 🏖

Right off the bat, it would seem to impact a number of IAM teams, in that any partners who are not citizens of the countries they rep, would apparently need to reside in the respective country for at least 180 days each year in order to be eligible to rep that country in ISU competition.

Please correct me if this is a misreading of rule 109.

 

[FlossieH]

Hmm, the document takes a lot of close reading and reflecting. I wish a figure skating podcaster would break it down and explain the ramifications. A lot of fs podcasters must be on summer vacation. 🏖

Right off the bat, it would seem to impact a number of IAM teams, in that any partners who are not citizens of the countries they rep, would apparently need to reside in the respective country for at least 180 days each year in order to be eligible to rep that country in ISU competition.

Please correct me if this is a misreading of rule 109.

I don't see where it says that they need to reside in the country for at least 180 days each year? A skater who is changing countries needs to have been resident there for the previous year, but I don't think it says that they need to continue residing ther after they have the clearance?

Most of what is in the document has not changed from the regulation it is replacing. The changes are the bits which are underlined.

 

[BlissfulSynergy]

A skater who is changing countries needs to have been resident there for the previous year,

To my understanding the new ISU rule 109 changes the residency requirement (for skaters switching countries) from one year to at least 180 days (6 months) in the new country for the prior year.

 

[jorge2912]

I'll take a stab at A a). Who needs a clearance:

If skater is not a citizen of the ISU member country they wish to represent

If skater is a citizen of the ISU member country they wish to represent but has previously represented another ISU member

I initially read the second part totally backwards and thought that skaters didn't need a clearance to represent a country where they are a citizen. That would seem fair to me. I can't remember any examples of a skater having difficulty or a long wait to get such a clearance. Examples I recall: Vaness James FRA->CAN, Mervyn Tran JPN->CAN.

I wonder if a Russian skater that represents Georgia but trains in Moscow can affect that new requirement?

 

[TallyT]

I wonder if a Russian skater that represents Georgia but trains in Moscow can affect that new requirement?

They could be the very ones this is aimed at

 

[gsk8]

For skaters changing federations or competing for a country where they are not a citizen, the ISU requires a Clearance Certificate before they can compete internationally.

Key points:

Who needs a Clearance Certificate?

• Skaters representing a country of which they are not a citizen.
• Skaters who previously represented one ISU Member and wish to represent another.

Application deadline

• Federations should submit clearance applications by July 1 before the season.
• For Pairs and Ice Dance, applications may be submitted later, but no later than 30 days before the event.
• Limited exceptions may be granted if requirements are completed later. The July 1 deadline is not necessarily a hard cutoff. If a clearance application is filed before July 1, the ISU may still approve it later once outstanding requirements are met, provided they are completed at least 30 days before the skater's first intended competition.

Citizenship

• Citizenship must be proven with a valid passport.
• Full citizenship by birth or naturalization is required where citizenship is needed.

Residence

• A skater must be lawfully residing in the country and intend to remain there permanently or indefinitely.
• Student, tourist, visitor, and similar temporary permits do not satisfy the ISU's residence requirements.

Pairs and Ice Dance

• At least one partner must be a citizen of the country being represented.
• The other partner may be a citizen or resident, subject to ISU requirements.

Waiting periods and releases

• The communication references Rule 109, which may require waiting periods and/or permission from a previously represented federation in certain cases.
• The exact requirements depend on the circumstances outlined in Rule 109.

Exceptions

• The ISU Council has the authority to grant exceptions in cases of serious hardship.

Bottom line: A skater cannot simply decide to represent a different country internationally. Depending on the circumstances, they may need citizenship or qualifying residency, a Clearance Certificate, compliance with any waiting period, and potentially approval from a previously represented federation.

 

[NanaPat]

This communication #2526 is not rule 109 itself, it's outlining the details of how rule 109 will be implemented.

And it begins:

(This Communication replaces Communication No. 2030)The ISU Council deemed it opportune to update ISU Communication 2030 in particular to clarify theapplicable deadline for the submission of Clearance requests (Paragraph A.b). Changes compared toISU Communication 2030 are underlined.

So we don't need to worry about the whole thing, only about the underlined parts. And if you look at the underlined parts, they only have to do with the July 1 deadline for submitting an application and supporting documentation.

Unless I'm misreading it (again!) the changes are only for singles skaters, and they have somewhat relaxed the July 1 deadline (which only applies to singles skaters) to allow the application to be submitted before July 1 and the documentation later.

 

[UmeYoSake]

For skaters changing federations or competing for a country where they are not a citizen, the ISU requires a Clearance Certificate before they can compete internationally.

Key points:

Who needs a Clearance Certificate?

• Skaters representing a country of which they are not a citizen.
• Skaters who previously represented one ISU Member and wish to represent another.

Application deadline

• Federations should submit clearance applications by July 1 before the season.
• For Pairs and Ice Dance, applications may be submitted later, but no later than 30 days before the event.
• Limited exceptions may be granted if requirements are completed later. The July 1 deadline is not necessarily a hard cutoff. If a clearance application is filed before July 1, the ISU may still approve it later once outstanding requirements are met, provided they are completed at least 30 days before the skater's first intended competition.

Citizenship

• Citizenship must be proven with a valid passport.
• Full citizenship by birth or naturalization is required where citizenship is needed.

Residence

• A skater must be lawfully residing in the country and intend to remain there permanently or indefinitely.
• Student, tourist, visitor, and similar temporary permits do not satisfy the ISU's residence requirements.

Pairs and Ice Dance

• At least one partner must be a citizen of the country being represented.
• The other partner may be a citizen or resident, subject to ISU requirements.

Waiting periods and releases

• The communication references Rule 109, which may require waiting periods and/or permission from a previously represented federation in certain cases.
• The exact requirements depend on the circumstances outlined in Rule 109.

Exceptions

• The ISU Council has the authority to grant exceptions in cases of serious hardship.

Bottom line: A skater cannot simply decide to represent a different country internationally. Depending on the circumstances, they may need citizenship or qualifying residency, a Clearance Certificate, compliance with any waiting period, and potentially approval from a previously represented federation.

So, correct me if I'm wrong, but Sara Kishimoto, who once represented Japan but now is planning to represent Germany with Michail Savitskiy after sitting out a year, needs a clearance certificate to prove her "residency" by living in Germany?

 

[cocteautwin]

I wonder if a Russian skater that represents Georgia but trains in Moscow can affect that new requirement?

If they have citizenship it's not an issue for them.

 

[cocteautwin]

So, correct me if I'm wrong, but Sara Kishimoto, who once represented Japan but now is planning to represent Germany with Michail Savitskiy after sitting out a year, needs a clearance certificate to prove her "residency" by living in Germany?

Do you know where the've been training the last season? In Germany or in Canada?

 

[UmeYoSake]

Do you know where the've been training the last season? In Germany or in Canada?

I think they've been training in Montreal, as her IG says IAM. But I don't know much.

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[BlissfulSynergy]

Unless I'm misreading it (again!) the changes are only for singles skaters,

Pairs skaters and ice dancers are also impacted by rule 109.

 

[crystalspin]

They could be the very ones this is aimed at

Nope, because they are given citizenship like candy...

 

[DizzyFrenchie]

Nope, because they are given citizenship like candy...

Well, if we compare with how long it was for people like Alison Reed, some may have this impression... But I think that countries are very diverse in how they give citizenship in general, and to Athletes in particular. Some are slow and demanding with everybody and being an Athlete isn't a plus, while others are faster and give an advantage to Athletes. And this may be reflected in the outcome of this new rule?

 

[NanaPat]

Pairs skaters and ice dancers are also impacted by rule 109.

Yes, but not by the July 1 deadline, and not the changes in this document, because the changes in this document are only about the July 1 deadline.

There may also be changes in rule 109, and changes in the residency requirements, but they are not in the document that's linked.