New World Skating Body

[Rae]

this is the second article relating to the World Skating Federation. I really thought the first one would already be here. Must be night time over in USA. You can find the first by Christine Brennan on USA Today, Sports. www.usatoday.com

I am all for this. Go you good things I say to Sally, Jon, Ron, Scott, Japan and Australia

Controversy created new skate federation
By Christine Brennan, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — The genesis of the new World Skating Federation, which will be unveiled Tuesday at a noon news conference in downtown Washington, was a summertime meeting in Las Vegas between U.S. co-founders Ron Pfenning and Jon Jackson.

But the idea for the federation actually began the night of the pairs long program at the 2002 Olympic Games in Salt Lake City, when Pfenning was the referee of the controversial event and Jackson witnessed the outburst of French judge Marie-Reine Le Gougne afterward in a hotel lobby.

"Our sport is in crisis," Jackson said Monday, explaining why he and about two dozen other figure skating officials from 11 nations have formed a new figure skating federation to wrest control from the International Skating Union and its leader, Ottavio Cinquanta, a former speed skater.

New judging organization scorecard

Some of the key organizers of an effort to form a new organization to rule figure skating worldwide played prominent roles in exposing the sport's judging ills during the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics.


Ron Pfenning: Referee of the Olympic pairs event reported to International Skating Union officials that French pairs judge Marie-Reine Le Gougne, during the judges' event-review meeting, sobbed and said she was under pressure to score the Russian team of Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze higher than Canadians Jamie Sale and David Pelletier.


Sally Stapleford: Former member of the ISU's powerful figure skating technical committee testified at an ISU hearing that Le Gougne, within hours after the Olympic pairs final, told her in a Salt Lake City hotel lobby that she was pressured to vote for the Russians in an apparent vote-swapping deal related to the Olympic ice dance competition.


Jon Jackson: U.S. skating judge overheard Le Gougne in the lobby and corroborated Stapleford's story.


Scott Hamilton: The 1984 Olympic gold medalist, working as a NBC analyst for the pairs final, reacted with outrage on-air to the results, saying he was "embarrassed" for the sport.








"For 23 consecutive years, the president of the ISU has been a speed skater," Pfenning said. "It is time for the sport of figure skating to be under the control of individuals committed to our sport."

Pfenning said the WSF's constitution demands that more athletes be involved in the sport's decision-making, that there be a geographic balance to judging panels and that accountability be mandatory for the judges.

The WSF plans to alert IOC President Jacques Rogge about its intentions this morning via fax.

Sports have split into new federations twice in the past 46 years. In 1957, luge separated from the international bobsled federation after being linked for 22 years. In 1994, the National Rifle Association cut its ties to the U.S. Olympic shooting team, and USA Shooting became the national governing body of that sport.


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[anital]

Originally posted by Rae
I am all for this. Go you good things I say to Sally, Jon, Ron, Scott, Japan and Australia

Ditto.

[essence_of_soy]

I have to say, this news doesn't surprise me in the least.

Thank you for posting this information, Rae.

Finally, some influencial officials who actually have the
skaters' interests at heart. Not people who feed their own
egos and fill the ISU's coffers at everybody else's expense.

Nick (who still doesn't believe Brisbane will host the 2005 Four Continents Championship until he sees it!)

[Aussie Willy]

Love the idea. I have been thinking for some time that figure skating should detach itself from the ISU. The ISU would have a fit because figure skating is their most lucrative money maker. But we have all had enough of the corruption and Chinquata's attitude that he thinks he is god (doesn't he know that Uncle Dick is!).

I am sure that it will cause problems for federations because of judges, skaters and money, but if the sport wants to get some respectability then it needs to do this.

[Norlite]

Rae:

You said this was the second article. I read on another board(GS) there was a Japanese newspaper article too? Do you know a link to that?

[speedy]

Here's an ESPN article...

http://espn.go.com/oly/news/2003/0324/1528991.html

It's about time! I'm surprised it took sane skating officials this long to stand up to Speedy and his ISU nimrods. Hurrah for them. This is certainly turning into a memorable Worlds so far. ;)

[skatorade]

I love the idea of a new, pure skating federation. However, I have to wonder about the Olympics issue. This new Fed will go nowhere if they are not recognized by the IOC. I think they may well need some kind of political lobby to further their goals. I am also concerned about the figure skating/speed skating link. While I want a Fed that is purely dedicated to Figure skating, it has been said that the speed skating side of the ISU depends heavily on the monies that figure skating brings in. That fact alone could prevent any Feds from really making a break from the ISU. It might be looked upon as leaving the speed skating feds high and dry.

[loveskating]

Sorry to disagree, but I think this is very sad, although I do agree, it was probably planned long ago.

Countries form skating federations, not individuals, in the sense that countries support or don't support them. Ergo, its reasonable to speculate that there are countries behind these individuals (either that, or they are very naive, and I don't think they are as individuals).

If it is so that countries are ultimately behind international sports organizations, then it is likewise reasonable to speculate that there will be two skating federations...based on the world politics of the various nations and blocs, and thus that Americans will not any longer be able to see skaters from many nations.

[Artemis]

There was a similar split in, wait for it, curling a few years ago. The result was that for a few years competitors had to pick and choose in terms of which competitions they entered. If they "supported" one organization they couldn't compete under the other's banner.

I really don't want to see that happening with skating.

I wholeheartedly agree that the ISU needs some serious shaking up. And separating figure skating from the larger organization might be the way to do it in the end. I'd also like to see Speedy have the complacency slapped out of him. But I also have no doubt that in this sort of political wrangling, it's the skaters who will suffer. Again.

[Arsenette]

I've been waiting for this for about 20 years.. :twisted:

[chattykathy]

I wholeheartedly agree that the ISU needs some serious shaking up. And separating figure skating from the larger organization might be the way to do it in the end. I'd also like to see Speedy have the complacency slapped out of him. But I also have no doubt that in this sort of political wrangling, it's the skaters who will suffer. Again

You took the words right out of my mouth!

It wont be the Sasha Cohens and Michelle Kwans that suffer though. Its those kids that just landed at the top at Jr's and middle finisher seniors, and novice skaters that will get caught in the muck. Hopefully Jon Jackson, with his years of experience on international committees, will have thought and planned this out very well.

[loveskating]

Whooooa...I just read on another thread that this WSF already has Japan, the USFSA and Australia on board. Clearly, countries are behind this, and planned it, and its a done deal!!!

I suspect this WSF will mirror Bush's "Coalition of the Willing" with regard to Iraq as to who joins it and who does not, and if so, the ISU will clearly have most nations with it.

But will the ISU formally throw these "rogue" federations out mid-competition or allow the competition to continue? I think the ISU, if possible, will allow the competition to continue, only for the sake of the skaters (and contracts), and then throw these federations and everyone associated with them out next week as a mere formality.

But will the WSF allow the competition to continue? I doubt it. Will they take "bold, preemptive action" and pull their skaters out and hold a "rival" competition? Do they have another venue planned, and assignments underway?

In either case, next week, I guess we will have two world skating federations, and after that we will no longer as Americans be able to see Russian, Chinese, French, German and other skaters.

That skating as we have known it should be a casualty of the current world situation is hardly surprising, now I think about it...and not 1/1,000th of what the casualties of this "bold" new world are likely to be.

[speedy]

Sorry, but making analogies between skating federations and a war in which people are dying for our country is totally inappropriate. The two things are completely unrelated, and as much as I can't stand Cinquanta, I would certainly never compare him to a murdering pig like Hussein. However I did find this quote from him amusing...

"I would like to read their comments first," Cinquanta said Monday night of the WSF. "I do not know about this."

;)

[Ivan W]

Originally posted by speedy
However I did find this quote from him amusing...

"I would like to read their comments first," Cinquanta said Monday night of the WSF. "I do not know about this."

;)

Deja vu...

[Arsenette]

Originally posted by loveskating
Whooooa...I just read on another thread that this WSF already has Japan, the USFSA and Australia on board. Clearly, countries are behind this, and planned it, and its a done deal!!!

Apparently Great Britain and 2 other countries are also involved.. It doesn't say who the other 2 countries are

[ontherock]

If it is true that the USFSA is somewhat behind this I believe that if Skate Canada joins them in the WSF and both these countries take their money and sponsorship with them that the ISU's figure skating body will collapse due to lack of funds.
That being said how do the national speed skating bodies think about the figure skating federations undermining the ISU??

[Rowena]

I don't know how these things work, but wouldn't only one federation be allowed to participate in the Olympics? If that is the case then I can only see national skating federations changing over if the IOC gives this WSF the nod. And in a cruel twist, I can only see the IOC giving th WSF the nod if the sport's most prominent federations have already joined the WSF.

[loveskating]

Originally posted by speedy
Sorry, but making analogies between skating federations and a war in which people are dying for our country is totally inappropriate. The two things are completely unrelated, and as much as I can't stand Cinquanta, I would certainly never compare him to a murdering pig like Hussein. However I did find this quote from him amusing...

"I would like to read their comments first," Cinquanta said Monday night of the WSF. "I do not know about this."

;)

Death on the battlefield in war and the appearance of two international skating federations are not analogous by a long shot, but they could be related politically, could they not?

However, my intended use the word "casualty" implied a much broader meaning, for example, I read in an article via a Google News search that France, Germany and Belgium are now holding talks on how to integrate their military forces as soon as possible, which would indicate they intend to split with NATO, and for the entire EU to do so... a very, very "consequential" event, I would say, making not just the UN, but NATO a "casualty" of this situation, so that on the scale of ruin in contemplation, 2 international skating federations seems mild.

My analysis as posted is that world politics, which includes most of all the position of nations regarding the war in Iraq at the moment (as well as the broader issue of the Bush Doctrine of preemptive war etc.), will for the most part determine who is in each federation...if you disagree, fine, I'd prefer my analysis be wrong. Or do you expect the Russians, Chinese, Germans and French to join with the WSF, and if so, why? Conversely, is it surprising that it is Japan and Australia that have done so already?

Its not that I condone ANY of it...this is just my analysis, which certainly implies that there is far more to this than what appears on the surface, and that while it might be about skating on some level, its mostly not about skating at all.

[bc fan]

I would be really surprised if Skate Canada publicly supports this. They will not want to jeopardize their chance of a medal in dancing.

I felt that they were slow to react to the pairs scandal at the last olympics while other countries spoke up sooner and louder (and it was their own skaters involved). I feel that this may have been because David Dore was up for election with the ISU and they didn't want to hurt his chances. After all, look what happened to those judges and officials that did speak up.

I really wish that Skate Canada would jump on the band wagon, but I'm not holding my breath.

[Arsenette]

I'm in the middle looking in every direction.. This affects us immencely since we are trying to GET INTO international skating.. I think for now it's smart for me to not reply on this even in an informal way. It's interesting that skating is in revolution and any organization that works outside of their own constitution has understand why it's happening. ;) I'll be reading intently!

[Emilieanne]

Skate Canada will no doubt wait until after Worlds is over...as will many other federations...but I do believe they will join.

[Dustin]

About the split and 1/2 the skaters with one federation and the other 1/2 with the other federation... well if it is going to help figure skating in the long run it must be done. Cinquanta could care less about the sport as long as he is getting all the $ for speed skating.

[jcspkbfan]

The WSF now has its own website:

http://www.worldskating.org/

The site also has a page listing the skaters and other people supporting the new federation so far...quite a few impressive names on this list:

http://www.worldskating.org/news/bios.shtml

[Biffer1997]

On USFSA website there is a press release from the Exec comm that they have not had time to review the proposal about the new union and are concentrating on the skating at hand. They said ( in so many words) that everyone should let this rest until next week after Worlds.

[Tigger]

It's about time someone stood up and did something!! How many of us have wanted this to happen for how long? It's just sadder beyond words it took skating to sink so low for it to happen. I wouldn't want to be around Cinquata today though....First SkateFair, then the questioning of certain officials by the FBI and now this.....Nope.....I wouldn't want to be around him today at all.....

[Azlynn]

That was the top story when the skating coverage started here in Canada on TSN two hours ago. They showed Paul Wylie making a speech, and talked briefly with Ron Pfenning and Scott Hamilton. A revolution in skating... rock on. It's time that the organization was for the skaters, by the skaters. And was just for figure skating, and by figure skating. I can't wait to see what happens next.

[Rae]

I can't foresee there will end up being two unions. Certainly there will be so far as speed skating and figure skating split, but I can't see long term, two bodies governing figure skating. WSF will be intent on wresting the figure skating part of IOC approval from the ISU. If the ISU chooses to continue in its current form with short and long track, so be it.
The most money for ISU Tv rghts comes from USA, Japan, Canada and Europe. Two of those four are packing their bags and saying hasta la vista to the ISU. For major skating powers to be so intent on doing so will have to make the IOC sit up and take notice. These types of actiosn don't happen on a whim.
The ISU cannot survive without the US and Japanese money in its current form. There are too many skaters, coaches and federations dissatisfied with the ISU leadership, the ignorance of its own rules and the heavy handed introduction of the judging project/rule.
each national governing body will now have to make its choice and that is what will speak the loudest.
More Athlete involvement? Yes. More coaching involvement. Yes. More judging accountability. Yes.

[spicyicey]

I just visited the WSF's website, and the guiding beliefs look very exciting. There's obviously a major emphasis on judging fairly and having it be about the skaters, which I think is great. It already seems to be quite well planned out and in the works for some time. I really hope this organization can work and that eventually all countries will join.

Even though it sounds great, I have some major questions about this whole thing. Does anybody know how much the USFSA's and other organizations' support /membership in the World Skating Federation really mean? Have they left the ISU? That's the part that really confuses me- it seems quite radical to up and leave the ISU so quickly. Hmm...but then again there are a great number of influential people involved in the American skating world who are behind this. Also, what is the plan for getting judges? Anyone have any insight?

[Oracle]

I think this is an exciting & fascinating development in figure skating. Having Dick Button on board with the WSF means that ABC may not renew their contract with the ISU. Pull back the money source & major damage will be created. The federations that choose to remain with the ISU will have to supply the cash flow & create their own stars & tours & tv contracts. If the WSF has the tv contracts it will be the skaters/federations who join them who will become the stars of the future in the US & in those countries who support the WSF. It wouldn't necessarily mean that no ISU competitions would be televised here. They just wouldn't be paid as much for their rights as they've become accustomed to in the past.

[icyboid]

I had hoped that the IOC would show more interest in this group, seeing as how they were within inches of tossing ice dance (and for some officials, all skating 8O) out of the Olympics. I hope that they will eventually award Olympic control to the WSF, if they are truly about rules over riches.
Then again I can see why most major organizations would play it safe and refrain from making strong comments when details are few.
*hoping for a quick transition for the skaters*
Excellent timing though...the senior season is closing, and that gives the whole downtime until fall to win over people.

[skatorade]

No one has left the ISU yet and I seriously doubt it would even happen by next season. There are members of the USFSA in the WSF but that doesn't equal any kind of official USFSA involvement that we know of at this time. The WSF says they will talk to federations this Spring and Summer. The USFSA says it won't even begin to consider any proposal from the WSF until after Worlds are over. It'll take months at least before we know if any Feds really jump ship. They have to take great care. What if the USFSA was to leave but a rival US skating Fed was created and aligned itself with the ISU?

[LTM]

I'm not the least bit surprised this has happened.
And it's about time.
The ISU has pooed pooed any critizism directed it's way until it got it's
feet held to the fire in SLC.
Their answer.
Make everything more secret thus decreasing accountability.
I wish the new organization the best.

[SkateJoy]

This may be slightly off topic, but Paul Wylie's bio says that he WAS the Director of Marketing and Synergy at Disney from 2001 to 2003. Does anyone know what he's doing these days (besides emceeing press conferences)??

[Snowbunny]

Nick u serious that 2005 Four Coninents might be in Brisbane???

About time!!!!!!!!

[Bailey]

More power to you!!

No doubt, Mr. Dore will not be too thrilled with the WSF. For federations, to support this new federation is a risky venture, it will take courage. However, if Skate Canada and the USFSA do not support this initiative and the prinicples it is attempting to establish for the sport, there will be much critisism by the association members. I love the fact that so many well respected people in the sport are endorsing this movement - their names will lend credibility to the development of the WSF.

I don't fear that the sport will be splint in two federations - the sport is an Olympic sport unlike any other (meaning the skating event is a featured event and the skating world revolves around the Olympic Games - unlike curling which is a new sport to the Olympics, relatively speaking), the IOC will be forced to 'endorse' one federation. They key for the new federation is to convince the IOC that they need to endorse the WSF. Juding from Mr. Rogue's actions/comments in Salt Lake, he was not thrilled with the ISU and if a strong case is made to promote the WSF and the fact that the reform to the juding system has not benefited the sport, it just might happen!!

[Rae]

Let's visit the 2005 Four Continents story and again Mr Cinquanta's marvellous communication skills?! I say this with great sarcasm. I should even make this a separate thread. If anyone wishes to, feel free as I believe it is yet another example of despotism and lack of caring or understanding by the ISU President. In short, we've had a gutful of him - big time.

The 2005 Four Continents championship remains without allocation as far as I know. The ISU actually prompted Australia to apply for the 2005 Four Continents and feelers were put out for the television coverage. I'm not sure whether the feelers were put out by ISA or the ISU but I certainly know two networks at least were contacted with one definitely wanting the event. The other was a perhaps. Again, it was the same two networks involved in the 2000 Worlds scenario. One commercial station and one public - Channel 7 and SBS. I do know that as far as the TV went, Cinquanta said that he alone would conduct any or all negotiations. The deal would be as before (re 2000).

This is where the "Here We Go Again" bit starts.

And what did Cinquanta do? NOTHING. Again.

And what next rumour do we hear?. Japan was contacted by the ISU wanting to know if they'd like 2005 4 CC's. My guess is Cinq was searching for more TV$$$$$ which will not be forthcoming from Australian networks for domestic rights, because of the high cost of the hosting. Australia was told that the ISU was waiting to hear from another interested country.

I don't believe Japan is interested in 2005 4CC's, and therefore the event remains unallocated. Japancould even possibly be championing Australi's cause in this. SBS TV really want the event. Channel 7 pretty much aren't fussed one way or another. Cinq doesn't want to talk to SBS Tv, so he simply doesn't return any calls. Does this sound familiar?

I hope 2005 4CC's are in Australia and that it's under the WSF. What a fabulous kick off the event would symbolise if the WSF got going here early in 2005 as the International governing body. Could happen, if the final mess of the ISU was mopped up at a 2004 Congress, ready for 2006 Turin.

[Dave Amorde]

Count me in as someone who is very excited about this. I can't think of a single downside. Every time I try to come up with some negative repurcussion, I realize that the current situation is far worse, and not getting better any time soon. Cinquanta has completely lost it, and it's time to separate from the speedskating union permanently. The only losers in this bargain are the speedskaters, but I can't help but think that Cinquanta and his cronies will be swept away after this is all through.

[Aussie Willy]

Rae - thank you very much for the information about the 4CC's. Very interesting. It would be great to have a skating event like this in Australia but like the Worlds in 2000 the TV rights will be a problem. We don't even get to see the Worlds on TV any more so I really wonder if any TV network would be interested in putting money forward. Also wasn't SBS TV the ones who Chinquata had the problem with for the 2000 event?

However after the enthusiastic response to the figure skating at the GWG, it definately showed that people were interested in seeing skating in Australia and they really enjoyed it.

As for skating and the IOC, the IOC realise that skating is one of their most popular events, even with all the scandals. As bad as the controversy was, at least people showed an interest in skating and it did not do the IOC any harm in promoting the SLC Olympics.

[Sk8n Mama]

Much needed! The ISU is making this beautiful sport into a joke. I posted at the World's forum. After watchingsome of the Q-rounds and the men's short, some of the judging is just atrocious now that they're not accountable to anyone. It's time that people who KNOW about figure skating make the decisions about the sport. the governing body shouldn't be a group of political cronies, but former skaters, coaches, judges, etc-who know, love and UNDERSTAND the sport!

[Emilieanne]

Right now people are "keeping their powder dry" until after Worlds. Then you will see who is going where far more clearly. The IOC can decide (if it so chooses) to recognize the ISU for Speed Skating and the WSF for Figure Skating. Should they do so, that will make the federations' decision a "no brainer." Since the IOC is having its 115th Session in Prague in early July, I doubt there will be a special meeting for this issue before then...it will probably be on the agenda for the 115th Session along with a lot of other things.

I sure would not want to be Speedy going into that meeting (Speedy is a member of the IOC in case anyone forgot)... No doubt his colleagues at the IOC are ready to pulverize the daylights out of him (and I am being extremely polite here by putting it that way) for all the trouble he has caused.

As difficult as this may be, we should try to just relax and enjoy the skating and let the rest of the "sideshows" play out in their own way...we will get plenty of entertainment.

[loveskating]

Originally posted by skatorade
No one has left the ISU yet and I seriously doubt it would even happen by next season. There are members of the USFSA in the WSF but that doesn't equal any kind of official USFSA involvement that we know of at this time. The WSF says they will talk to federations this Spring and Summer. The USFSA says it won't even begin to consider any proposal from the WSF until after Worlds are over. It'll take months at least before we know if any Feds really jump ship. They have to take great care. What if the USFSA was to leave but a rival US skating Fed was created and aligned itself with the ISU?

Well, whatever the intentions, if you think about it practically, its clear that the skaters themselves cannot function in TWO world federations...there are already complaints about the Grand Prix schedule...it would be impossible for the skaters to participate in competitions with both federations!

Why anyone thinks the Russians, in particular, but also the French and Germans, would want to join a world federation which is controlled by people who have constantly and very publicly abused them, challenged their wins on every possible occasion, and who have mounted a highly public campaign since Nagano 1998 against every single medal they won, claiming ALL their wins for the past 20 years were the result of corrupted judging, I cannot fathom.

They may not be SAYING it, but the implied invitation to the Russians and others is to drop dead.

The "down" side to this is that it is very possible that Americans will never see Russian, Chinese, French or German skaters on television again!

I tell you right now, if that happens, I intend to join with others to form a business or SOMETHING to somehow at least get tapes of those competitions and distribute them in the United States...because I don't want to live in a world where I cannot see Russian pairs skaters, and skaters like Ilia Kulik, Alexi Yagudin and Yevgeny Plushenko, G&G, Barezhnaya & Sikharalidze, not to mention many others, like the up and coming Obertas etc. BTW, E-mail me here if you are interested.

[Tib]

Look at the names of the supporters. Isn't this all just an IMG-led bid for power, control, and money?

[WildRose]

Brian Boitano is a supporter and he is not an IMG client.

[speedy]

:lol: I think you're getting carried away thinking we're never going to see Asian skaters again. Hold the phone on starting that tape business. ;) Wish I could have been at that press conference, sounded like a blast.

[KatieC]

This is from Slam - Canoe Figure Skating.

"Hungary pulls judge from world championships for involvement with rival group

WASHINGTON (CP) - Hungarian figure skating judge Judit Furst-Tombor is the first to feel the wrath of the establishment towards dissidents who have formed the rival World Skating Federation."

I had noticed the name from the WFS in the judges listing at Ice Calc. Too bad.

[DBZ]

I sincerely hope this will serve as the impetus for some serious change in the sport, particularly how it's judged; however, the overwhelming majority of supporters and committee members involved are North American. I think that in itself creates a major bias, one that might deter many other countries, particularly those based in Europe, from getting involved, for fear of bias against their skaters.