2019/2020 Officials (Judges, Referees, Controllers and Specialists)

[Andrea82]

List of officials for 2021/22 season published:

Error 404 - International Skating Union

The International Skating Union is the international sport federation administering Ice Skating sports throughout the world.

www.isu.org

Updated link: https://www.isu.org/inside-isu/isu-communications/communications/26035-isu-communication-2420/file


Changes compared to last season are the followings:

New International judges for Single and Pairs

Ms Lisa-Maria Schatzmann (Austria)
Ms. Lolita Katsora (Belarus)
Ms. Viktoria Sachkova (Belarus)
Ms. Limin Jao (Canada)
Ms. Erica Topolski (Canada)
Ms. Orsolya Dalma Farkas (Hungary)
Mr. Marco Faggioli (Italy)
Ms. Giuseppina Ferrario (Italy)
Ms. Elena Ushakova (Russia)
Ms. Kyung Lee Soo (South Korea)
Ms. Neda Rakovic (Serbia)
Ms. Anita Bernasconi (Switzerland)
Ms. Rattanadilok na Phuket Pimsan (Thailand)
Mr. Burga Artun Olgun (Turkey)
Mr. Eric Hampton (USA)

Retired Single and Pairs Judges

Peter Rankin (Australia)
Christine Morth (Austria)
Nikolay Ianev (Bulgaria)
Reaghan Fawcett (Canada) * still on the list with a new surname. I think she is Reaghan Fortin now
Yoshiko Kobayashi (Japan) * added again on August 19th update
Shizuko Ugaki (Japan)
Sakae Yamamoto (Japan)
Tomie Fukudome (Japan)
Andik Agnes Kusztos (Hungary)
Sviatoslav Babenko (Russia)
Sofia Kitashova (Russia)
Fiona Margaret Rivett (South Africa)
Inger Andersson (Sweden)
Claudia Fassora (Switzerland)
Yurii Balkov (Ukraine)


Retired Ice Dance judges

Tomie Fukudome (Japan)
Yurii Balkov (Ukraine)
Sharon Rodgers (USA)

New Ice Dance Judge

Ekaterina Balasuriya (Germany) (must be a come-back because online examinations for ice dance will take place in August)
* I think she is Ekaterina Zabolotnaya with a new surname.

Changes of countries in Ice Dance judges
Valerie Grelet-Lambert switched from France to Cyprus.
Edit: in the new uploaded file, she is not listed anywhere anymore
Edit 2: they uploaded a third file now and she is back as switching to Cyprus.
Edit 3: moved again to France column!

______________________________________________________________________

I apologize in advance if I made some mistakes in cross-comparing the lists.
There are some typos in ISU document anyway.
Jason Dungjen (USA) is listed as both ISU and International Pair Technical Specialist. He has either ISU or International status.
The updated file corrected the issue: he has been demoted to International status.

Some famous (and infamous) names are (some would say finally) gone.

 

[chuckm]

YAY!! No more BALKOV and BABENKO!!

 

[anonymoose_au]

Goergian judge Salome Chigogidze suspended for 1 year.

Interesting...I read the judgment and saw reference to the "scoring corridor" and how the judge in question deviated from it.

This might explain why PCS scores are the way they are. If you can get busted and banned for not scoring in the "corridor" and you know the skater you're judging always gets 9.5s for skating skills or whatever, you're not likely to give them an 8 or less even if you think the skater should.

Not that I'm saying this happened in this case, but it's food for thought.

 

[flanker]

Interesting...I read the judgment and saw reference to the "scoring corridor" and how the judge in question deviated from it.

This might explain why PCS scores are the way they are. If you can get busted and banned for not scoring in the "corridor" and you know the skater you're judging always gets 9.5s for skating skills or whatever, you're not likely to give them an 8 or less even if you think the skater should.

Not that I'm saying this happened in this case, but it's food for thought.

Well, it's potentially troublesome when a judge should score independently but being punished for not scoring as the others. I'm not saying national bias doesn't exist, but the judges have pretty difficult task. On one hand they havr to be independent, on the other they can't differ much fromt he rest. I surely wouldn't want to do this job.

 

[Andrea82]

Interesting...I read the judgment and saw reference to the "scoring corridor" and how the judge in question deviated from it.

This might explain why PCS scores are the way they are. If you can get busted and banned for not scoring in the "corridor" and you know the skater you're judging always gets 9.5s for skating skills or whatever, you're not likely to give them an 8 or less even if you think the skater should.

Not that I'm saying this happened in this case, but it's food for thought.

You can find how the "corridor" works here (page 4-5)

https://www.isu.org/synchronized-skating/rules/sys-communications/21799-isu-communication-2271/file

The OAC needs to check the elements/GOE marked for evaluation because falling outside the corridor to evaluate if they are anyway acceptable.

I guess the use of "corridor" is based on the assumption that
a) marks are not totally subjective but are based on certain definite elements. So judges can have different opinions but within a certain range.
b) the majority of judges are somewhat "fair" and so it is not the one marking fairer who ends up outside the corridor. If this assumption doesn't hold up, there is a problem with the whole sport.

 

[Andrea82]

ISU re-uploaded the file with 2021/22 officials.
https://www.isu.org/inside-isu/isu-communications/communications/26035-isu-communication-2420/file
There are still some minor inconsistencies, for example, some promoted from International to ISU referees are listed in both lists.

I updated my original post accordingly.

Solved the "mystery" about Ekaterina Balasuriya (Germany). I think she is the former Ekaterina Zabolotnaya with a "new" surname.
Same with Reaghan Fawcett. She is now listed as Reaghan Fortin.


4 new International Single and Pairs judges were already international or ISU Ice Dance judges (Jao, Topolski, Faggioli and Hampton) while 1 (Lee Soo-Kyung) was already a replay and data operator.

Exams for promotions from International to ISU referees and for new International referees were also held online in July.

Promotion to ISU referee:
Elizabeth Binder (Austria)
Andrea Derby (Canada)
Kerstin Kimminus (Germany)
Marco Buttarelli (Italy)
Peggy Graham (USA)

Promotion to International referee:
Lynne Dey (Canada)
Ulla Faig (Germany)
Maria Fortescue (Iceland)
Sung-Hee Koh (South Korea)

 

[Andrea82]

Examinations for Ice Dance judges took place between Aug 14 – 17.

New International Judges

Ms. Elisabeth Weiser (Austria)
Mr. Yan Lukouski (Belarus)
Ms. Christine Bourdeau (Canada)
Ms. Emili Arm (Estonia)
Ms. Pauliina Kaarina Vickholm (Finland)
Ms. Alexandra Volle (France)
Ms. Luise Tarja Boehlke (Germany)
Ms. Chizu Gotoh (Japan)
Ms. Maria Poskachey (Russia)
Mr. Oleg Saprykin (Ukraine)

Promotion to ISU Referee

Ms. Karen Butcher (Canada)
Ms. Nicole LeBlanc-Richard (Canada)

Promotion to International Referee

Ms. Kathaleen Cutone (USA)

____
A couple of the new judges had competitive careers.
Yan Lukouski skated for Ukraine with Yuliia Zhata in 2016-19 period. He did a couple of Challengers and other international competitions. Previously he competed in Junior with Kristsina Kaunatskaia.
Emilie Arm skated for a season with Luis Fenero back in in 2010-11.

 

[Andrea82]

Examinations to be promoted to ISU status took place during Nebelhorn Trophy last week.

Promotions from International to ISU are

Single & Pairs

Tobias Daniel Bayer (Germany)
Noemi Stipkovits. (Hungary)
Ritsuko Horiuchi (Japan)
Maria Gribonosova-Grebneva (Russia)
Andrea Simancikova (Slovakia)
Karolina Matesa (Sweden)
Susanne Sjöquist (Sweden)
Kathaleen Cutone (USA)
Stefania Mathewson (USA)

Ice Dance

Patricia Moritz (Australia)
Erika Topolski (Canada)
Sabrina Wong (Canada)
Vera Tauchmanova (Czech Republic)
Lucy Visinoni (Great Britain)
Yulia Levshunova (Georgia)
Gyula Szombathely (Hungary)
Valeria Rosa (Italy)
Nadezhda Paretskaya (Kazakhstan)
Katarzyna Szawarejko (Poland)
Elena Khmyzenko (Russia)
Elena Ushakova (Russia)

Corrections compared to previous announced list of officials

Demotion from ISU to International

Single & Pairs
Dagmar Lurz-Prott (Germany)

Ice Dance
Erika Sonderegger (Switzerland)

Delations from the lists

Zhang Tianyi (China) * Only for Single & Pair. She remains for Ice Dance
Kfir Natan (Israel)
Jennifer Griffiths (South Africa)
Wanda Stankovianska (Slovakia)
Raisa Gagarina (Uzbekistan)

Beth Crane (Canada) is delated as Technical Controller for Pairs
Angelika Ellinger (Austria) is delated as Technical Specialist for Ice Dance.

https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/rules/fsk-communications/26289-isu-communication-2432/file

 

[Andrea82]

Judges by country draw for 2022 Worlds held by ISU

Men
Austria
Azerbaijan
Belarus
Canada
China
Estonia
France
Israel
Italy
Kazakhstan
Russia
Sweden
Turkey

Women
Austria
Bulgaria
Canada
China
Finland
Great Britain
Hungary
Italy
Japan
South Korea
Netherlands
Sweden
Taiwan

Pairs
Austria
Canada
Croatia
Czech Republic
France
Great Britain
Hungary
Israel
Italy
Japan
Netherlands
Russia
USA

Ice Dance
Australia
China
Czech Republic
Spain
France
Great Britain
Israel
Italy
Japan
Russia
Turkey
Ukraine
USA

As usual, 9 judges out of the 13 present are drawn 45 minutes before the start of SP. The other 4 will serve in the FS along 5 who will do both segments.

4 Continents 2022

Men
Australia
Canada
China
Japan
South Korea
Mexico
South Africa
USA
Ukbekstian

Alternates: Greece, Italy, Bulgaria, Russia

Women
Australia
Canada
China
Japan
Kazakhstan
South Korea
Mexico
Netherlands
USA

Alternates: Ukraine, Finland, Serbia, Bulgaria.

Pairs
Australia
Canada
China
Finland
Italy
Japan
South Korea
Serbia
USA

Alternates: Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Netherlands

Ice Dance
Australia
Austria
Canada
China
Spain
Finland
Kazakhstan
South Korea
USA

Alternates: Georgia, Italy, Russia, Ukraine

Source: https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/rules/fsk-communications/26432-isu-communication-2435/file

For Europeans and Junior Worlds they keep the draw for last year's editions which didn't take place.

 

[Andrea82]

ISU Single & Pair Technical Committee brought a case against Akos Pethes (Hungarian judge at 2022 Euro Pair competition) for national bias.

The Disciplinary Commission dismissed the case with the following verdict

the Alleged Offender’s marks were examined by the OAC Commission and their report provided as Exhibits 3 and 4. The OAC noted a number of anomalies, but did not conclude that they were influenced by National Bias. The panel relies fully on the outcome of the OAC regarding the presence of National Bias.

In addition, no evidence of the referee challenging the Alleged Offender’s scores on the basis of national bias has been received. Hence, it can be inferred that the judge’s evaluations were not so obviously “national bias”, otherwise they would have been noticed by the referee and the OAC.

The OAC notes a number of anomalies in the GOEs given by the defendant. The Panel notes that all the anomalies relate to the Pairs elements of twist lifts, lifts and death spirals.

The Alleged Offender admits the anomalies and provides a consistent explanation, citing a lack of experience in judging Pair skating.

Unlike some of the earlier cases considered by the ISU Disciplinary Commission, no evidence has been provided of any history of earlier, similar concerns in the Alleged Offender’s marking, nor that he has received a letter of warning.

It is not enough that scores differ from those of the other judges because of differing opinions (or competency) about the skaters’ performance. A violation of the Code of Ethics and acting in bad faith must be obvious and serious. That threshold has not been reached in this case.

However, the ISU DC panel did not miss the fact that the marks and judging of the Alleged Offender at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2022 seem like a sophisticated handling of marks in the evaluation of the Hungarian pairs and their main competitors. Although this assessment, after the in-depth analysis of Complainant 1, acts as a hidden preference for the Hungarian pairs, it remains only at the level of suspicion. It lacks evidence of intentional “national bias”, hence is absent proof of bias, malice or bad faith. For this reason, the ISU Disciplinary Commission adhered to the principle of Roman law “in dubio pro reo” and to the principle of “Field of Play”.

Full decision: https://www.isu.org/inside-isu/isu-...cations/28500-case-2022-01-isu-vs-pethes/file

 

[Ic3Rabbit]

ISU Single & Pair Technical Committee brought a case against Akos Pethes (Hungarian judge at 2022 Euro Pair competition) for national bias.

The Disciplinary Commission dismissed the case with the following verdict

the Alleged Offender’s marks were examined by the OAC Commission and their report provided as Exhibits 3 and 4. The OAC noted a number of anomalies, but did not conclude that they were influenced by National Bias. The panel relies fully on the outcome of the OAC regarding the presence of National Bias.

In addition, no evidence of the referee challenging the Alleged Offender’s scores on the basis of national bias has been received. Hence, it can be inferred that the judge’s evaluations were not so obviously “national bias”, otherwise they would have been noticed by the referee and the OAC.

The OAC notes a number of anomalies in the GOEs given by the defendant. The Panel notes that all the anomalies relate to the Pairs elements of twist lifts, lifts and death spirals.

The Alleged Offender admits the anomalies and provides a consistent explanation, citing a lack of experience in judging Pair skating.

Unlike some of the earlier cases considered by the ISU Disciplinary Commission, no evidence has been provided of any history of earlier, similar concerns in the Alleged Offender’s marking, nor that he has received a letter of warning.

It is not enough that scores differ from those of the other judges because of differing opinions (or competency) about the skaters’ performance. A violation of the Code of Ethics and acting in bad faith must be obvious and serious. That threshold has not been reached in this case.

However, the ISU DC panel did not miss the fact that the marks and judging of the Alleged Offender at the ISU European Figure Skating Championships 2022 seem like a sophisticated handling of marks in the evaluation of the Hungarian pairs and their main competitors. Although this assessment, after the in-depth analysis of Complainant 1, acts as a hidden preference for the Hungarian pairs, it remains only at the level of suspicion. It lacks evidence of intentional “national bias”, hence is absent proof of bias, malice or bad faith. For this reason, the ISU Disciplinary Commission adhered to the principle of Roman law “in dubio pro reo” and to the principle of “Field of Play”.

Full decision: https://www.isu.org/inside-isu/isu-...cations/28500-case-2022-01-isu-vs-pethes/file

More reasons why we can't have nice things in this sport and WTH was he judging a discipline he doesn't have experience in?!?! This does not help judging, the skaters, or anyone, we need experienced judges who know the discipline they are judging.

Might I add, I have no idea if the offender is experienced in pairs judging or not, but if they were; then that's a really easy way to use the "not experienced" excuse as a pretense to judge your country's team better and get away with it, which obviously has happened.

 

[Andrea82]

ISU published today the list of officials for 2022/23 season

https://www.isu.org/figure-skating/rules/fsk-communications/29323-isu-communication-2502/file

Changes compared to last season
(alert: may have missed something in cross-checking the documents)

Single & Pair

Judges

Promotion from International to ISU qualification:
Examinations will take place during Nebelhorn Trophy

New international Judges

Mai O’Connor Tae, Ms.- Australia
Allinger Yvonne, Ms. - Austria
Schöttl Stefanie, Ms. - Germany
Weinert-Grunewald, Carolin Larissa, Ms. - Germany
Pontremoli Carlotta, Ms. - Italy
Kim Min Ah, Ms. - South Korea
Saadi Albert, Mr. - Monaco
Daros-Pawlyta Joanna, Ms. - Poland
Krusec Ursa, Ms. - Slovenia
Luginbühl Jennifer, Ms. - Switzerland
Miticka Dana, Ms. - Slovakia
Servin Anneli, Ms. - Sweden
Specht Katherine, Ms. - USA
Hartsell Minnis Danielle, Ms. - USA


Retired

Tabachnikova Helena, Ms. - Belarus (may be a mistake by ISU. She is now listed as an ID judge)
Yordanova Zoia, Ms. - Bulgaria
Poulin Jérôme, Mr. - Canada
Grubisic Antica, Ms. - Croatia
Houghton Patricia, Ms. - Great Britain
Bohunicka Lenka, Ms. - Slovakia
Prokop Igor, Mr. Slovakia (he sadly died a couple of months ago)
Podbevsek Jozica, Ms. - Slovenia
Houwing Kristina, Ms. -Sweden
Glenn Roger A., Mr. - USA
Harmon Kathleen, Ms.- USA

Technical Controllers - Single

Promotion from International to ISU qualification

Findlay Ann, Ms. - Great Britain
Grainge Richard, Mr. - Great Britain
Niiniranta Anu Kaarina, Ms - Finland (*may be a typo. She wasn't listed as International last seasons. So it is not possible she immediately jumped to ISU status. Likely that she is a new International)

New International TCs

Rauch Katharina, Ms - Austria
Gosselin Véronique, Ms. - Canada
Sigurthorsdottir Halla Bjorg, Ms. - Iceland
Paretskaya Nadezhda, Ms. - Kazakhstan
Nowak Piotr, Mr - Poland
Kitaeva Natalia, Ms. - Russia
Dolhopolova Oksana, Ms - Ukraine
Bromley Todd, Mr. - USA
Johnson Laurie, Ms. - USA


Retired

Prokop Igor, Mr. Slovakia (he sadly died)

Technical Controllers - Pair

Promotion to ISU status

Barbacci Levy Diana, Ms. - Switzerland

New International

Okabe Yukiko, Ms. - Japan
Hsu Steven, Mr. - USA

Technical Specialists - Single

Promotion to ISU status

LeBlanc Raoul, Mr. - Canada
Muzikova Lucie, Ms. - Czech Republic
Wood Samuel, Mr. - Great Britain
Raabe Imi Peter, Mr. - Hungary
Vasovic Vojislava, Ms. - Serbia
Bratec Lesjak Anja, Ms. - Slovenia
Pahor Alja, Ms. - Slovenia
Stigant Lisa, Ms. - South Africa
Ozbükücü Timucin, Mr. - Turkey

New International

Abram Sean, Mr. - Australia
Borounov Maria, Ms. - Australia
Frank Kerstin Katharina, Ms. - Austria
Collin-Knoblauch Laurene, Ms. - Canada
Sutherland Ryan, Mr. - Canada
Sandsten Julia, Ms. - Denmark
Wassard Maas, Ms. - Denmark
Kull Karmen, Ms. - Estonia
Harpages Frédéric, Mr. - France
Logie Sarah, Ms. - Great Britain
Payne Samantha, Ms. - Great Britain
Drebes Gloria, Ms. - Germany
Laberny Ivetta, Ms. - Germany
Voth Andrea, Ms. - Germany
Bukareva Svetlana, Ms - Israel
Spampinato Annalisa, Ms - Italy
Arai Marie, Ms. - Japan
Jeon Hyojung, Ms. - South Korea
Park Bun Sun, Ms. - South Korea
Binti Ma Hussin Dian, Ms. - Malaysia
Silvius Marit, Ms - Netherlands
Jastsenjski Simic Ksenija, Ms - Serbia
Rudy Riskova, Diana, Ms - Slovakia
Chen Jui-Shu, Ms - Taipei (ISU lists "Ms" but I am sure he is a man. He skated at 4 Continents some years ago)


Technical Specialists - Pairs

Promotion from International to ISU

Sonnleitner Eva, Ms - Austria
LaFleur Morin Stephanie, Ms - Canada
Wendy Maylin, Ms - Germany
Wendland Scott, Mr. - USA
Ponomareva Natalia, Ms. - Uzbekistan

New International

Hartley David, Mr. - Great Britain
Sheiko Julia, Ms. - Israel
Lorenz Jyrina - Italy


Ice Dance

Judges

New
Tabachnikova Helena, Ms - Belarus (but likely a typo. See above)

Retired

Gardner Janet, Ms. - Australia
Baldi Andrea, Mr. - Italy
Sonderegger Erica, Ms. - Switzerland
Harmon Kathleen, Ms. - USA
Leaver Linda K., Ms. - USA

Changes of countries:
Grelet-Lambert Valérie from France to Cyprus

Technical Controllers

Promotion from International to ISU status

Baumann Christian, Mr. - Germany
Kozubek Marcin, Mr. - Poland
Rey Julia, Ms - USA (new rule allowing Technical Specialists to qualify also as Technical Controllers. She is the first one to do both)
Millier John, Mr. - USA

New International

Cutone Kathaleen, Ms. - USA

Demoted from ISU to International status
Shekhovtseva Alla, Ms. - Russia

Retired
Millier John, Mr. - USA

Technical Specialists

Promotion from International to ISU status

Blum Benjamin, Mr. - Germany
Caruso Stefano Mattia, Mr. - Germany

New International

Szijgyarto Bianka, Ms. - Hungary
Balkwill Kristy, Ms. - Canada
Gravino Marisa, Ms. - Canada
de la Asuncion Marien, Mr. - France
Druesne Amaury, Mr. - France
Cappellini Anna, Ms.- Italy
Ucar Alper, Mr. - Turkey
Jenkins Stephanie, Ms. - USA

Demoted from ISU to International status

Hoppe Doreen, Ms. - Great Britain

Retired

Rauer Thomas, Mr. - Germany

Change of country

Svetlana Lyapina Guerreiro from Russia to Australia

 

[Andrea82]

Kevin Reynolds passed the exams to be an international Data and Replay Operator.

Among the new technical specialists, you will recognize some former skaters. Some fairly recent. Also among new judges: Danielle Hartsell Minnis won Junior Worlds in Pairs in 1997.

Salome Chigogidze (Georgia) and Nikolai Salnikov (Estonia) are back from their suspension. The former was suspended for 1 year because of overmarking of Kvitelashvili at Europeans. The latter was suspended for 2 years because he judged JGP Egna while drunk,

 

[yesterday]

Among the new technical specialists, you will recognize some former skaters. Some fairly recent.

Yes, as e.g. Kerstin Frank

judged (..) while drunk,

Fans be like "that's how they get those scores"

 

[Andrea82]

During Nebelhorn Trophy examinations for promotion from International to ISU status (being able to judge in ISU Championships and GP Final). Successful candidates:

Single and Pairs

Leah Bates (Australia)* became International in 2017
Tobias Steindl (Austria) * became International in 2019
Saaraliisa Ehalt (Finland)* became International in 2015
Matthew Miller (Great Britain) * became International in 2017
Miriam Palange (Italy) * became International in 2017
Yuko Ogawa (Japan) * became International in 2012
Natalia Kitaeva (Russia) * became International in 2015
Natasa Djokovic (Serbia) * became International in 2017


Ice Dance

Akiko Kobayashi (Japan) * became International in 2014
So Young An (South Korea) * became International in 2019
Elyse Matsumoto (USA) * became International in 2019
Danielle Rey (USA) * became International in 2019

 

[Andrea82]

Judges Draw by number for ISU Figure Skating Championships 2023 took place last week
The outcome has been published:

https://isu.org/figure-skating/rules/fsk-communications/29695-isu-communication-2515/file

Rules are

Worlds and Junior Worlds:
For each discipline, the first draw is done among ISU members with a skater in previous edition. If they are less than 13, a second draw is made up among the other ISU members which entered the draw for that discipline.

Europeans:
the same as above but with only Euro ISU members entitled to enter the drawn

The second draw is often needed for Pairs, not for the other disciplines.
For instance, taking Europeans, in 2022 14 countries competed but Russia and Belarus officials can't serve this season. It leaves 12 countries. Georgia have only 1 ISU judge and was drawn for Women panel (judges can't serve in two panels in the same ISU Championship) and so it is taken out of the Pair draw (Pair is always the last one to be drawn). It left 11 countries. So they had a draw among the rest and Denmark and Sweden won it.

4 Continents
Number of judges raised to 10 by a new rule-change. Used to 9 with no turnover between SP and FS.
First priority is the countries with a skater in previous edition. If they are less than 10, a further draw is done among the other 4 Continents members without a skater. If they are not enough, a new draw to complete the panel is done among European Feds willing to serve.
Looks like Kazakhstan didn't enter the draw this year judging by the Euro countries which are in Pair and ID panel and among the alternates in Women and Men.

__

There is a new rule this year about the nomination for Pairs at ISU Championships. If a judge never judged Pairs at ISU Championship level, he/she must have judge in the last 4 years at least 1 ISU event (GPs) and 1 international competition without getting warnings, etc.
I guess it is a response to the situation about the Hungarian judge at 2022 Euros who was put under investigation and came up with "I rarely judge pairs, so I didn't have a clue on how to judge some elements" excuse.
Even though, said judge actually already judged Pairs at Worlds/Euros...so this new amendment wouldn't solve the problem.