ISU Communication No. 2735 - Officials for 2025/26 season

[Andrea82]

ISU have published the updated List of Referees, Judges, Technical Controllers, Technical Specialists, Data & Replay Operators season 2024/25 for Single & Pair Skating, Ice Dance and Synchronized Skating, valid for 2025/2026 season.

https://isu-d8g8b4b7ece7aphs.a03.az...ficials-FS-ID-SYS-2025-26-1754294295-5479.pdf

Going through them, the changes compared to last season seem to be

SINGLE AND PAIRS JUDGES

Retired (everybody turning 70 since previous update is automatically retired)/delated

ISU

Dan Fang - China * Judged in 2022 Olympics
Ingrid Charlotte Wolter - Germany
Zsuzsanna Vikarne-Homolya - Hungary * Judged at 2018 and 2022 Olympics
Anna Sierocka - Poland * Judged at 2002 (in the Pairs panel), 2006, 2010, 2014 and 2018 Olympics
Adriana Ordeanu - Romania
Alexander Kogan - Russia * Judged in 2010 Olympics
Prisca Binz Moser - Switzerland
Bettina Meier - Switzerland
Irina Medvedeva - Ukraine
Ubavka Kutinou-Novakovic - Bosnia (again...she was delated mid-season in 2023/24 season..the she was back last season..and now gone again)

Internationals
Lorna Schroder - Canada
Dovile Tvarijone Pervazaite - Lithuania
Cathrine Wessel - Norway
Maria Olesinska - Poland
Katarzyna Walczak-Żakowska - Poland
Galina Istomina - Russia

Suspended until 31 July 2026
Katalin Balczo - Hungary * Judged at 2018 Olympics

Demoted to International judge
Laurie Johnson - USA
Francis Betsch - France

New international judges
Erin Chellew - Canada
Hilary Quick - Canada
Yanyan Lu - China
Ludovica Gandini - Denmark
Jenni Lindstrom - Finland
Thomas Nutley - Great Britain
Alison Smith - Great Britain
Elisa Ricci Elisa - Italy
Zhansaya Adykhanova - Kazakhstan
Rudolfs Janis Zabolockis - Latvia
Julija Kravcenko - Lithiuania
Hanna Drottz - Sweden
Kenneth Kuo-Pin Chi - Taiwan
Whitney Luke - USA

Country switching
Nadezhda Fiodorova from Belarus to Georgia. She is an ISU level judge. So ready for Milano-Cortina.
Elena Khmyzenko from Russia to Georgia.

Referees
Promoted to ISU status: Francoise de Rappard (Belgium), Feng Huang (China), Anja Rist (Germany), Jung-Sue Lee (South Korea)
Promoted to International status: Leah Bates (Australia), Reaghan Fortin Fawcett (Canada), Hailan Jiang (China), Saaraliisa Ehalt (Finland), Almila Arikan Sarbanoglu (Great Britain), Jerry Hilgert (Luxembourg), Hanya Leenards (Netherlands), Andrea Simancikova (Slovakia), Kathleen Cutone (USA)

ICE DANCE JUDGES

Retirement/delated:

ISU
Ingrid Charlotte Wolter (Germany) * Member of ISU Technical Committe. Judged at 2014 Olympics, Referee at 2018 Olympics
Hilary Selby (Great Britain) * Member of ISU Technical Committe* Judged at 2010 Olympics, Technical controller at 2018 Olympics
Prisca Binz Moser (Switzerland)
Iryna Medvedieva (Ukraine)
Ubavka Kutinou-Novakovic - Bosnia (again...she was delated mid-season in 2023/24 season..the she was back last season..and now gone again)


International
Tianyi Zhang (China) * Judged at 2014 and 2018 Olympics
Jorn Lucas (Germany)

New international judges:
Yu Dong (China)
Marcin Czajka (Poland)
Agnieszka Paszulewicz (Poland)
Laila Davidson (Sweden) * only ID judge for Sweden. First since the 90s.
Vera Medvedeva (Ukraine)
Stephanie Zastrow (USA)

Country switches
Elena Khmyzenko from Russia to Georgia. She is an ISU level judge.

Referees
Promoted to ISU level: John Millier (USA), David Molina (France)
Promoted to International level: Marcin Kozubek (Poland), Claudia Stahnke (Germany), Ron Conacher (Canada)


TECHNICAL SPECIALISTS
No exam sessions for new international TS or for promotions. So all changes are retirements

Single
ISU
Terry Kubicka (USA) * He is 69. Theoretically, he could have served another season
David Kirby (USA)
International
Jordi Lafarga (Spain)
Serhii Vaypan (Ukraine)

Demotion from ISU to International status
Vadim Fedchenko (Ukraine)

Pairs
ISU
David Kirby (USA)
International
Hang Cong (China)

TECHNICAL CONTROLLERS
Also for this role, no exam session this year

Following their retirements as judges
Single: Anna Sierocka, Dan Fang and Prisca Binz Moser
Pairs: Anna Sierocka
Ice Dance: Hilary Selby, Ingrid Charlotte Wolter

 

[Andrea82]

Balczo's suspension is related to the 2025 Bavarian Open.

On 22 January 2025, after the Initial Judges Meeting, the Alleged Offender approached another judge in the judges' room (the contacted judge) and asked if the contacted judge knew the new Hungarian Junior Pairs couple. The Alleged Offender mentioned that the Pair needed the minimum technical score for the Junior World Championships.

On the evening of 23 January 2025, the Alleged Offender approached the contacted judge again, apologized to the contacted judge and told her that should not think of her as a bad judge. The contacted judge replied that she was aware of her duties as a judge and the Code of Ethics. The Alleged Offender cried and said that she was under pressure from the Federation and added that it was also the government, and that they were all Russians. The contacted judge was not clear what the Alleged Offender meant by that. The contacted judge informed the Referee about this second conversation as well.

Subsequently, on 26 April 2025 the Alleged Offender delivered a short Supplement to her Statement of Response, in which she wrote that she did not mention the Federation; however, it was expected that the male member of the pair (as the only Hungarian-born skater) should be a participant at the World Junior Championships. This atmosphere oppressed her personally, so she made an inappropriate decision.

Full facts and decision
https://isu-d8g8b4b7ece7aphs.a03.az...ision-publication-version-1750696246-9981.pdf

 

[4everchan]

I won't name anyone but I am happy some of these judges are retired

However, the number of judges moving from Russia to Georgia is uncanny.

 

[AlexBreeze]

However, the number of judges moving from Russia to Georgia is uncanny.

I know that some judges from Belarus switched after the ban (not necessarily to Georgia). But are there any Russian judges other than Khmyzenko?

 

[4everchan]

I know that some judges from Belarus switched after the ban (not necessarily to Georgia). But are there any Russian judges other than Khmyzenko?

You are correct. I read too fast and what I thought was 3 judges, 2 of them are Khmyzenko and the other is from Belarus I have not looked at judges switching from previous years so I cannot tell if there has been more. In general, everything from Georgia these days in figure skating world looks like it has come from Russia, I am not talking just judges but also athletes.

 

[Andrea82]

You are correct. I read too fast and what I thought was 3 judges, 2 of them are Khmyzenko and the other is from Belarus I have not looked at judges switching from previous years so I cannot tell if there has been more. In general, everything from Georgia these days in figure skating world looks like it has come from Russia, I am not talking just judges but also athletes.

Last year Valdislav Vladimirov (Single, Paris and Ice Dance international judge) switched from Russia to Armenia.
And Yan Lukouski (Ice Dance international judge) switched from Belarus to Slovakia.
The other two judges swapping Feds were one from Taiwan to Belgium and one from China to Canada.
One Ice Dance technical specialist switched from France to Switzerland.

In 2023, Viktoria Sachkova (Single and Pairs international judge) switched from Belarus to Poland and Anna Krytskaya (Ice Dance International technical specialist) switched from Belarus to Poland.

 

[4everchan]

Last year Valdislav Vladimirov (Single, Paris and Ice Dance international judge) switched from Russia to Armenia.
And Yan Lukouski (Ice Dance international judge) switched from Belarus to Slovakia.
The other two judges swapping Feds were one from Taiwan to Belgium and one from China to Canada.
One Ice Dance technical specialist switched from France to Switzerland.

In 2023, Viktoria Sachkova (Single and Pairs international judge) switched from Belarus to Poland and Anna Krytskaya (Ice Dance International technical specialist switched from Belarus to Poland.

Thank you. So, some judges did switch from Russia/Belarus but have to many different places and not just Georgia. So technically, if they are on the same level (ISU/ International) a few former Russian judges could end up on the same panel, representing different countries.

 

[Andrea82]

Thank you. So, some judges did switch from Russia/Belarus but have to many different places and not just Georgia. So technically, if they are on the same level (ISU/ International) a few former Russian judges could end up on the same panel, representing different countries.

Even if they have different qualifications, they can end up in the same panels...up until Grand Prix level, both ISU and international judges can officiate.

. In general, everything from Georgia these days in figure skating world looks like it has come from Russia, I am not talking just judges but also athletes.

When I saw those 2 moving to Georgia, I immediately thought about your reaction!

 

[4everchan]

Even if they have different qualifications, they can end up in the same panels...up until Grand Prix level, both ISU and international judges can officiate.


When I saw those 2 moving to Georgia, I immediately thought about your reaction!

You know me so well already

 

[Andrea82]

The exams to be promoted from International to ISU judge took place during Nebelhorn Trophy.
Buried in an update of the file published this summer, the names of those promoted were underlined.
https://isu-d8g8b4b7ece7aphs.a03.az...SYS-2025-26-updated-Oct-7-1759824945-0716.pdf

So, if I haven't missed anyone, the new ISU judges are

Single and Pairs
Lisa Maria Schatzmann (Austria)
Patty Klein (Canada)
Halla Bjorg Sigurthorsdottir (Iceland) * 1st Iceland ISU judge. This means Iceland will be included in the upcoming draw for Pair panel at Europeans
Irina Komarnicka (Latvia)
Zivile Mockuviene (Lithuania)
Etienne Dreyer (South Africa)
Anita Bernasconi (Switzerland)
Alexandra Reataza-Svärd (Sweden)
Eric Hampton (USA)

Ice Dance
no-one I spotted

Other changes
Helena Tabachnikov (Belarus) deceased
Tatiana Sharkina (Russia) is now Tatiana Kosygina.

 

[TontoK]

Dang, I thought this tread was going to name the officials for the Olympics and/or World Championships.

Sending prayers for Shin Amano and Judy Blumberg! Get your rotations and levels fixed, athletes!

 

[lariko]

ISU incentivized moves from Team Teal to different countries, so they are moving. No surprises there.

 

[4everchan]

Dang, I thought this tread was going to name the officials for the Olympics and/or World Championships.

Sending prayers for Shin Amano and Judy Blumberg! Get your rotations and levels fixed, athletes!

There is a thread already for that

A

Thread '2026 Olympic Games Participation and Judges'

Sep 24, 2025

ISU Communication 2741

The draw for the Olympic panels took place Sunday in Beijing.

First priority is given to countries who earned a spot at 2025 World Championships. So for Men and Women the draw was only among those countries.
Second priority is given to countries who earned a spot at Beijing Qualifier competition. This was used for Pairs (no need of the draw, because only 13 countries have qualified for Olympics and have an ISU judge. Armenia doesn't have an ISU judge) and Ice Dance.
Eventually (but not needed this time), there would be a third draw among countries who took...

• Andrea82
• Replies: 28
• Forum: Figure Skating: The Edge

• 

 

[TontoK]

There is a thread already for that

A

Thread '2026 Olympic Games Participation and Judges'

Sep 24, 2025

ISU Communication 2741

The draw for the Olympic panels took place Sunday in Beijing.

First priority is given to countries who earned a spot at 2025 World Championships. So for Men and Women the draw was only among those countries.
Second priority is given to countries who earned a spot at Beijing Qualifier competition. This was used for Pairs (no need of the draw, because only 13 countries have qualified for Olympics and have an ISU judge. Armenia doesn't have an ISU judge) and Ice Dance.
Eventually (but not needed this time), there would be a third draw among countries who took...

• Andrea82
• Replies: 28
• Forum: Figure Skating: The Edge

• 

This doesn't address the tech panels though, unless I missed it - which is entirely possible.

 

[4everchan]

This doesn't address the tech panels though, unless I missed it - which is entirely possible.

Not yet

 

[Andrea82]

This doesn't address the tech panels though, unless I missed it - which is entirely possible.

Tech panels and Referee are nominated by ISU President based on recommendations by the Vice-President-Figure Skating and the respective Technical Committee. This happens in late spring/summer.
They are usually not announced by a public communication but those behind the scene usually know because I often remember during the pre-Olympic GP season commentators saying "today is the test event for the Olympic panel".

Italy as organizer can propose 2 names for Referee/Tech Controller/Tech Specialist for Single and Pairs and 1 for Ice Dance.
In the Code of Ethics there is a suggestion that top 5 countries from previous edition of Worlds shouldn't be in the Olympic technical panel or have the referee...but the same suggestion is present for ISU Championships and it is not strictly followed....

I know Saioa Sancho (Spain) will be one of the Referees because Spanish Fed tweeter their congratulations to her this summer.
Also, in the @4everchan about the 3 judges nominated by Skate Canada, Caron, Keen etc were congratulating Raoul LeBlanc...which, given the context, makes me suspect he may have been appointed as one of the technical specialists....but maybe I am reading too many wrong clues.

 

[Andrea82]

Draw by country for 2026 ISU Championships

Senior Worlds Championships
Men:
Spain, Estonia, Hungary, Israel, Japan, South Korea, Poland, Switzerland, Slovakia, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine, USA

Women:
Austria, Azerbajan, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Finland, Greart Britain, Israel, Italy, Japan; Latvia, Norway, Romania

Pairs:
Australia, Austria, Finland, Great Britain, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Switzerland, Ukraine, USA; Uzbekistan

Ice Dance:
Australia, Canada, Cyprus, Czechia, Spain, France, Great Britain, Georgia, South Korea, Lithuania, Slovakia, Turkey, USA

European Championships
Men:
Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Great Britain, Hungary, Italy, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Switzerland, Turkey

Women:
Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Switzerland, Ukraine

Pairs:
Austria, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Great Britain, Iceland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, Switzerland, Ukraine

Ice Dance:
Cyprus, Czechia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey, Ukraine

Junior World Championships
Men:
Canada, Estonia, Finland, Georgia, Hong Kong, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Latvia, Poland, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine

Women:
Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Great Britain, Georgia, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Israel, Japan, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Ukraine

Pairs:
Canada, China, Czechia, Spain, France, Great Britain, Georgia, Hungary, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, Slovakia, USA

Ice Dance:
Austria, Canada, China, Czechia, Spain, Estonia, France, Great Britain, Japan, Slovakia, Turkey, Ukraine, USA

4 Continents
Men
Australia, Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, Taipei, USA
Alternates: Serbia, Estonia, Luxembourg, Slovakia

Women:
Australia, Canada, China, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, New Zealand, South Africa, USA
Alternates: Taipei, HOng Kông, Latvia, Italy

Pairs:
Australia, Canada, China, Great Britain, Japan, South Korea, Mexico, USA; Uzbekstan
Alternates: Ukraine, Hungary, Croatia, Finland

Ice Dance
Australia, Bulgaria, Canada, China, Great Britain, Japan, South Korea, Lithuania, USA
Alternates: France, Georgia, Finland, Poland

Source: https://isu-d8g8b4b7ece7aphs.a03.az...number-Championships-2026-1760018771-6831.pdf