ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Series 2020-21 cancelled

[MaHa75]

Since the last ISU Council meeting on July 6, the ISU has been informed of increased travel and entry restrictions which would seriously complicate the travel of Junior Skaters with the consequence that some ISU Members simply cannot or do not feel comfortable to send Junior teams to the remaining ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating countries. Furthermore, the potential extensive sanitary/ medical care measures (including possible quarantine) would put an unsustainable burden on the organizers.

Based on the advice of the Medical Commission and the Council appointed Working Group, the ISU Council has therefore concluded that the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating events of the season 2020/21 cannot be maintained and that all events of the series must be cancelled.

If later during the season the pandemic developments and situation change and allow for the safe organization of international junior indoor events and some ISU Members wish to host an International Competition for Juniors, the ISU would consider financially assisting interested ISU Members, subject to receiving a detailed proposal. Preference will be given to ISU Members that had previously been allotted an ISU Junior Grand Prix event for the 2020/21 season

The ISU regrets the cancellation of this popular junior series even though it is in line with the ISU policy to put the safety and health of event participants as the number one priority.

The ISU Council will meet again online on August 3 to evaluate the pandemic developments and related situation and to update the season planning for the ISU senior Events.

 

[pesto]

How heartbreaking for the young skaters.

https://www.isu.org/isu-news/news/1...rix-series-2020-21-cancelled?templateParam=15

 

[Harriet]

Good.

Of course it would have been nice for the kids to have the semblance of normality provided by a sports carnival, but public health comes first.

 

[karne]

Of course it's sad for the skaters but to consider anything else was simply unfeasible.

The Senior GP meeting is on August 3. I expect the same announcement to come out of that, too.

 

[ladyjane]

Sad but not unexpected.

 

[CaroLiza_fan]

Good.

Of course it would have been nice for the kids to have the semblance of normality provided by a sports carnival, but public health comes first.

Of course it's sad for the skaters but to consider anything else was simply unfeasible.

The Senior GP meeting is on August 3. I expect the same announcement to come out of that, too.

Totally agree.

To be honest, the call to cancel the summer and autumn events should have been made a lot earlier. But, I suppose there was a lot of stuff to sort out behind the scenes, such as coming to arrangements with sponsors for those events that do have sponsorship deals. Let's face it, that was why, at the start of the pandemic, there was so little information coming from the FIA and FOM about what was happening with F1 races. Because it is a heavily sponsored sport, and making a call early would have had financial concequences. Although we often complain about the lack of money in figure skating, it has turned out to be a blessing in disguise in these strange situations, as it makes the decision making easier.

Speaking of F1, I wonder if the ISU making the call now on the Junior GP Series was a reaction to what has happened in F1 in the past few days. A week or so ago, somebody brought up F1 in the other thread, saying that they are able to go ahead with events behind closed doors, so why can't figure skating?

Well, despite having very strict controls on movement, with people involved with each round not being allowed outside of the circuit and the hotel for the duration of their stay, it was announced in the days between the second Austrian race and the Hungarian race that there had been 2 positive tests. (As part of the measures brought in to enable racing to happen, everybody was being tested every few days).

Which just shows that you can turn the venue of a sporting event into a fortress, but it still doesn't stop the virus getting in.

I don't know whether this was the reason for the ISU's decision. But, whether it was or not, it was the correct decision.

A thought just came into my head. If the Senior GP Series does end up getting cancelled, what is going to happen with those people who changed their flights to Montréal in March for Worlds to flights to Ottawa in October for Skate Canada? Will they be able to change again (say, to go to wherever Nationals are due to be held, if they get held), or get a refund? Or, will they just lose their money?

CaroLiza_fan

 

[flanker]

Now I feel depressed

 

[removof]

It s the end of figure skating i m so sad

 

[cathlen]

So a whole year without Figure Skating, sad, but totally understandable and IMO, right decision. Wish my country Football Association would take notes, instead of letting public to go on matches... Btw. This is just a speculation on my side, but I think there weren't enough host countries willing to organize GP, considering the regulations of these countries regarding covid and diffuclities to maintain the right level of safety during the competition. Also no money from public. I guess the tv money is just way too low, with the excepetion of Japan maybe. But only maybe.

 

[Shayuki]

Interesting, JGP events never has an audience anyway. I'd say there are tons of events currently going on with far greater risk for transmission. I guess it's due to travel bans and such logistics instead.

It's a shame but the silver lining is that this season wasn't one where there are many new skaters I'm especially looking forward to.

So a whole year without Figure Skating, sad, but totally understandable and IMO, right decision. Wish my country Football Association would take notes, instead of letting public to go on matches...

JGP/SGP is just the fall portion of the season.

 

[cathlen]

JGP/SGP is just the fall portion of the season.

I meant a calendar year. I know we had Europeans/4cc, but it just feel like it. I wonder what about Challengers?

 

[Dreamer57]

The Senior GP meeting is on August 3. I expect the same announcement to come out of that, too.

I agree.
I was wondering if this happened, would the ISU award the 21/22 GPF to Beijing as a test event? I haven't seen an allocation for it yet. It would be quite late to make changes between that and the olympics though.

 

[yume]

Predictable. Sad for those who just turned juniors. I was looking forward to see Nini, Samodelkina and Sara Honda (if she had skated well at test skates) in JGP.

 

[macy]

it's going to be a long rest of 2020...

 

[EVAMARIA]

I think without a paying audience it would be too expensive to hold a competition specially the bigger senior events

 

[ice coverage]

I meant a calendar year. I know we had Europeans/4cc, but it just feel like it. ...

We also had 2020 Junior Worlds -- for which I am extremely thankful!

Literally just a week after JW at Tondiraba Ice Hall, the venue suddenly had to shut down because of the pandemic.

---

Also am thankful that the ISU has left the door open to the possibility (???) of supporting new non-JGP junior internationals later in the season.

But I'm very sad :sad4: that the JGP series (understandably) had to be cancelled.

Sending hugs to all the young skaters who had hoped to compete at JGPs.

---

... I was wondering if this happened, would the ISU award the 20/21 GPF to Beijing as a test event? I haven't seen an allocation for it yet. It would be quite late to make changes between that and the olympics though.

Did you mean to say 2021/22 GPF?

2020/21 GPF (in Dec 2020) in Beijing already is designated as the test event for 2022 OWG.

If 2020/21 GPF needs to be cancelled, I think 2021/22 GPF (in Dec 2021) would be too late as a test event for 2022 OWG, if they remain scheduled for Feb 2022.

(Of course, all bets are off, so a long postponement of 2022 OWG cannot be ruled out ...)

 

[Edwin]

The spread of the virus is hardly under control in many countries, including some who previously managed to control.
Holiday season on the Northern hemisphere is under way, and in a few weeks, when schools start again, we’ll know wether all those families kept themselves safe.

So cancelling of international sports events will continue.

Even a vaccine won’t solve this. How to demand and check for proper and effective vaccination of all participants, staff, personnel and audience without infringing on privacy and human rights?

 

[sparklestan]

Very disappointing but not surprising. Maybe the ISU would be open to doing a scaled back JGP, to help kids qualify for jr worlds, in January/February, although that might conflict with some countries’ nationals :think: I hope it’s safe enough for some live skating this season, even if fans can’t attend.

 

[Dreamer57]

We also had 2020 Junior Worlds -- for which I am extremely thankful!

Literally just a week after JW at Tondiraba Ice Hall, the venue suddenly had to shut down because of the pandemic.

---

Also am thankful that the ISU has left the door open to the possibility (???) of supporting new non-JGP junior internationals later in the season.

But I'm very sad :sad4: that the JGP series (understandably) had to be cancelled.

Sending hugs to all the young skaters who had hoped to compete at JGPs.

---

Did you mean to say 2021/22 GPF?

2020/21 GPF (in Dec 2020) in Beijing already is designated as the test event for 2022 OWG.

If 2020/21 GPF needs to be cancelled, I think 2021/22 GPF (in Dec 2021) would be too late as a test event for 2022 OWG, if they remain scheduled for Feb 2022.

(Of course, all bets are off, so a long postponement of 2022 OWG cannot be ruled out ...)

Yes, I did mean 2021/22!
I have now edited my previous post.

I know it's early days but 2022 OWG may well get postponed seeing as the Dakar Youth Olympics already have.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

It s the end of figure skating i m so sad

There's still hope for a shortened season, even if the GP events are cancelled. National events don't start until mid December, and only the athletes who aren't training in their country in the weeks leading up to the event would have any issues with quarantine. 4CC would probably be tougher to put on than Euros, but it's also scheduled later so it might be feasible.

Tennis will start up in the next few months, with a similar situation of athletes and their teams traveling to an event from all over the world. So I think by March/April the ISU will have several examples from other sports that can provide guidance on how to put on a major event as safely as possible.