"If the standard of skating is so poor, the ISU should change. ... This is a championship, not a festival,"
I believe that certain skaters should have to pass by a qualifying round, not all of them though. Maybe there should be some system in which there should be minimal requirements, either a score obtained during a season, or a place obtained something like that. But I don't belive that the top 15 skaters should have to go though QR, it just makes them use too mush energy for such an insignificant part of the competition.
Or ... maybe the ISU should deal directly with individual skaters (with their federations on the sideline).
This is exactly what should happen. Results from 4 Continents/Euros and the Grand Prix should determine who gets to go to Worlds. If you receive a certain score at any of those competitions, you should be eligible for Worlds that year. If 10 Japanese and 10 American skaters are eligible, so be it. They deserve to be at Worlds because they are the best in the World.
Would making qualifying for Worlds more difficult work against encouraging new federations to develop their programs? After all, Yu-Na Kim is the first major Korean competitor, the Chinese pairs have only emerged in the last decade, etc.
I would suggest they do a system similar to that of track and field, have a certain number of skaters from Euros and 4CCs qualify (let's say the top ten 10 from each) and then the next set highest scores from both competitions qualify as well (let's say 10 again, making 30 total). Then, top 24 from the SP qualify for the LP.
I also agree that the spots should go to the skaters, not the country or federation, unless that skate can't compete. That way, for example, the U.S. sends it's best skaters to 4CCs, not team B.
But what determines entry into the GP? It becomes circular unless there are other criteria for getting into the GP because selection for two GPs is based on results at worlds and seasons best scores. The GPs would need to become more of a free for all to allow all skaters equal chance to get the scores meaning everyone has to have the opportunity to skate at least once on the GP.
Also if you did make it a score that had to be met it would open a can of worms in terms of the fact you can't compare scores from different competitions - imagine the skater who draws the caller and judging panel at the notorious Skate America where triples were downgraded more than they were called?
Hallo?? Do you understand the reason for "WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS"??? :banging::banging::banging:
The worlds are NOT only for USA, Russia, Japan and Canada!!!!!! I love to see short programs from India, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Ireland, South Africa or Monaco and i think Worlds should keep this SP (early group and later group) system!!
I don´t understand the problem about the gowing number of competitors and exotic countries at the world championships! It´s a positive evolution!!
I really hope the qualification at worlds will be no change and this sill... Cinquanta will retire!!!