ISU warns Skate Canada

Osmond4gold · Dec 10, 2017

Violet Bliss said:
Wherever there is a sponsored event, there are usually loot bags filled with gifts from the sponsors. These are relatively inexpensive and targeted promotions and don't cost the organizer who gets to share the goodwill. The values of these gifts range from under a dollar to thousands, depending on the event. 2016 Oscar nominees' loot bags were worth $232,000 each!

At SC2017, Tessa (and Scott) did not need any favour from anybody to win the event. The non bribery nature of the gifts was completely clear. Maybe a few judges were extremely prudent but the warning from ISU is way OTT. A few private words of advice would have been plenty sufficient.

The recipients of these gifts may be very unhappy if loot bags are eliminated all together after this blown up affair.

Yes Violet Bliss, sometimes it takes an elephant dart to kill a flea. ISU Officials, the new rules are in, and next year you can expect some dental floss, a moist toilette and a mint, as your glory days with Hollywood swag bags, are officially over. But please remember to claim the same, on your official tax returns.

Next topic, PLEASE!

Violet Bliss · Dec 10, 2017

ISU was tipped that those color coded earrings are electronic communication devices intended to give hypnotic directives to the judges.

CanadianSkaterGuy · Dec 10, 2017

Osmond4gold said:
Yes Violet Bliss, sometimes it takes an elephant dart to kill a flea. ISU Officials, the new rules are in, and next year you can expect some dental floss, a moist toilette and a mint, as your glory days with Hollywood swag bags, are officially over. But please remember to claim the same, on your official tax returns.

Osmond4gold said:
Next topic, PLEASE!

Aw, do we have to? We're having so much fun with this one! :laugh:

Tavi... · Dec 10, 2017

college pat said:
They dont need to bribe look at the scores they receive & won.
the reasons i am reading is ; it only $80.00 at most, earring, 720 a most.

than who cares about the doping, cheating, same thing.-done by russian federation.

this year you have a thread judging anomalies.

Bribery doesn't state an amount need to be given on that an action wouldn't have happened if not for the bribe.

the definition of bribery is :
legal definition of Bribery- giving, receiving, or soliciting of any item of value to influence the actions of an official or other person in charge of a public or legal duty.
There legal duty is to judge (appearance)
Corrupt solicitation, acceptance, or transfer of value in exchange for official action.

My final thought is this IF nothing was done wrong in the 1st Place than Skate Canada didn't need to be Warned about it in the 2nd place.The warning was Bribery.
The appearance of it could lead to speculation of fair play & fair scoring.

for example ;The fall not counted at skate canada, the high score, the perceived unfairness (carrots) uncalled mistakes, high scores-pc's etc.

Figure skating is all about perception, appearance --the perception of fairness, and appearance.
Whatever was given to judges could be perceived in a judged , subjective sport as unfair by others

Based on your posts, I’m pretty sure you’re not a lawyer?

Avoiding the appearance of impropriety or unfairness is an ethical issue. It is different than bribery. There’s no evidence a crime was committed here. It was appropriate for the ISU to issue a warning.

Vanshilar · Dec 10, 2017

Violet Bliss said:
ISU was tipped that those color coded earrings are electronic communication devices intended to give hypnotic directives to the judges.

Darn it, I was going to say "Maybe these earrings will quietly start whispering '+3 GOE! +3 GOE!' when Virtue/Moir are on the ice."

CaroLiza_fan · Dec 11, 2017

karne said:
I disagree. It is quite nice to receive a small gift as well, and some of them can be quite good. I've gotten drink bottles, coffee mugs, a backpack, all sorts of things. My favourite gifts are competition pins with the competition name on it. I stick them on my skate bag. Though admittedly, the competition that gave officials those warm thingos that you can stick to your socks and stay warm for hours was very genre-savvy.

However, I think in this case Skate Canada was rather foolish. Even if it was not a direct conflict of interest, it doesn't take much looking to see the appearance of one. I'm sure there were other gifts that could have been given that didn't contain such an issue.

Just replying to this post before I leave the thread, as it is becoming one of those threads (you know what I mean!)

Yes, I agree that it is nice to receive token gifts as it shows that your efforts are appreciated. But, if I was ever in a position like that (which I never will be), I think I would prefer to get no gifts if it meant that my impartiality was not questioned just because somebody was kind enough to give me something.

As for the warm things you are talking about (I know what you mean, but I don't know what they are called either :laugh:

), I thought those would have been standard issue! :shocked: Like, those poor souls are having to sit in a cold environment for the whole day, only getting short breaks during resurfacings. :bow:

They deserve something to keep them warm. :agree:

Although not as practical, I would also have thought a competition pin would have been included as standard along with all the paperwork in the information pack they get.

And if anybody attempted to use a badge or a wamer as proof of bribery, it says more about them than it does about the organisers. :disapp:

CaroLiza_fan

rain · Dec 11, 2017

Mango said:
Hillberg & Berk has been gracious enough to provide earrings as gifts for Tessa's fellow female skaters during Stars on Ice Canada as well. That they were giving gifts when Skate Canada was in their home city of Regina is not surprising. What was done was within the rules.

Now the real problem is: if the ISU doesn't want judges and/or skaters to receive gifts then they must put an end to that. Because if even a gift under the maximum limit of $200 is a problem and causing them to issue a warning then that's not on anyone but the ISU.

By they way, this isn't the first time a jewellery company has been involved with Skate Canada. Thomas Sabo regularly donates jewellery for silent auctions for fundraising. I also think they were selling jewellery at 2013 Worlds. Other companies also donate products for auctions or make straight up monetary donations. If we need to investigate conflict of interest or involvement with the national federation then H&B isn't the only name on the list. It's a long one. But I doubt the ISU will find any fault because these things are not outside of the rules.

So Skate Canada is being warned for...wait for it...doing absolutely nothing wrong. OK.

So Phil Hersh, now I want to know the facts that you left out of the article, namely, who these officials/judges were that were so uncomfortable with the gift that fell completely within the rules laid out by the ISU, that they complained to the governing body and have now somewhat succeeded in not only dragging Skate Canada's but Tessa Virtue's name through the mud just a couple of months before...once again wait for it, the Olympic Games. Politics at their ugliest, perhaps? Sure sounds like it to me.

Mathman said:
I think that, yes, the ISU is fine with judges receiving inexpensive "thank you" gifts, but not gifts that might seem to be intimately associated with one of the skaters that they are called upon to judge. I think that the ISU has clarified this point in the memo sent out to all member federations. I think the message is just, next time give a gift that doesn't look so much like it comes from the Tessa Virtue line.

To me, the worst part is that the jewelry company might feel unappreciated and insulted that the ISU threw their good-will gesture back in their face. They might say, if you don't like our apples, don't shake our tree. Find a new sponsor.

It's not like sponsors for figure skating are growing on trees in Canada. I hate that this fiasco, which I see as possibly maliciously politically motivated, has tarnished what sounds like a great sponsor. I hope this doesn't damage them or their relationship with figure skating in the future. And all over something that wasn't at all against the rules.

Violet Bliss · Dec 11, 2017

Skate Canada should only shop the Dollar Store for gifts in the future.

Mango · Dec 11, 2017

Violet Bliss said:
Skate Canada should only shop the Dollar Store for gifts in the future.

Dollarama!! :biggrin:

Nothing's even a dollar any more though.

I got one better. Every time there's a game/interview thing with skaters at Breaking the Ice (SC's donors' gala) Pj Kwong pulls out old stuff she's had lying around her house for years. Like caps and vests and lanyards from old events. She gives these as prizes to the skaters for participating.

In the spirit of recycling Skate Canada should have their members clean out their houses and donate that stuff to the judges. Would save them the trouble of having garage sales AND they wouldn't have to find a sponsor who would get dumped on by the ISU & Phil Hersh.

Osmond4gold · Dec 11, 2017

rain said:
It's not like sponsors for figure skating are growing on trees in Canada. I hate that this fiasco, which I see as possibly maliciously politically motivated, has tarnished what sounds like a great sponsor. I hope this doesn't damage them or their relationship with figure skating in the future. And all over something that wasn't at all against the rules.

Great point here rain, as we know what happens when a major sponsor pulls out (insert Trophee de France here). In the summer of 2016, the Éric Bompard company decided to end its sponsorship after its questions to the French Federation of Ice Sports (FFSG) received no response. This event has become a C competition with A type athletes, and has never fully recovered.

The lesson learned here, if you take a partnership for granted, or do unnecessary damage to their reputation (thanks ISU, IOC and Phil Hersh), they will walk. As we know from the Grand Prix and more recently, the IOC and McDonalds, most times there is no one waiting in the wings, to replace these reputable companies. Well, maybe the Dollar Store in the case of TdF, which is where I believe they are buying their medals these days. :sarcasm:

viennaskater · Dec 11, 2017

"The Tessa Virtue Collection" - hilarious!!! :rofl:

Osmond4gold · Dec 11, 2017

viennaskater said:
"The Tessa Virtue Collection" - hilarious!!!

And your point is, viennaskater? I think it's wonderful for any young person to have such an entrepreneurial spirit and to follow their passion. Others could learn from her example, as there will be a life after skating.

crazydreamer · Dec 11, 2017

Why are local skating federations giving gifts to judges at all? If judges need gift bags, why not have the IOC pay for it and then it can be standard in price across all events, and not a competition between federations as to who gives the best gifts?

I'm not too bothered by the actual instance in the article--it sound more like a cute thing than a bribe--but was surprised that local federations are giving gifts at all.

viennaskater · Dec 11, 2017

Osmond4gold said:
And your point is, viennaskater? I think it's wonderful for any young person to have such an entrepreneurial spirit and to follow their passion. Others could learn from her example, as there will be a life after skating.

Oh dear, you're a bit sensitive. Of course it's admirable but it comes across to me as rather narcissistic, naming the collection after herself.

Osmond4gold · Dec 11, 2017

viennaskater said:
Oh dear, you're a bit sensitive. Of course it's admirable but it comes across to me as rather narcissistic, naming the collection after herself.

Touché. I guess my sensitivity is an equal match to your cynicism. Do you think she's the first athletic to ever go into business for themselves while competing? Especially after a 3 year absence from skating. Tell that to Michael Jordan, David Beckham, Tiger Woods, Maria Sharapova, Chris Evert, Roger Federer or Derek Jeter. Just sayin'

viennaskater · Dec 11, 2017

Osmond4gold said:
Do you think she's the first athletic to ever go into business for themselves while competing?

I don't see what that has to do with naming a jewellery collection after yourself.

viennaskater · Dec 11, 2017

"The Embodiment of a Woman who Sparkles"

Vera Costa · Dec 11, 2017

viennaskater said:
Oh dear, you're a bit sensitive. Of course it's admirable but it comes across to me as rather narcissistic, naming the collection after herself.

Don't be absurd. It's marketing. H&B would not have wanted it any other way. Tessa's name is what helps sell their brand, else they wouldn't have helped an elite athlete design a collection for them.

viennaskater · Dec 11, 2017

The 'Tessa Ring' in silver, A sterling silver ring engraved with inspirational words from Tessa. It cost 65 CAD and just has 'DREAM' written on it! :laugh:

viennaskater · Dec 11, 2017

Vera Costa said:
Don't be absurd. It's marketing. H&B would not have wanted it any other way. Tessa's name is what helps sell their brand, else they wouldn't have helped an elite athlete design a collection for them.

Let me see ... I'm guessing you're a HUGE fan?

ISU warns Skate Canada

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Violet Bliss

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Tavi...

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MINIOL ALATMI REKRIS. EZETTIE LATUASV IVAKMHA.

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Royal Chinet 👑🍽️

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