The International Skating Union's 49th Ordinary Congress concluded on 7 June in Kyoto (Japan). Delegates from the ISU's member federations voted for far-reaching change to the disciplines of Figure Skating, Ice Dancing, Synchronized Skating, Speed Skating and Short Track Speed Skating. Agreed reforms include changes to the current system for selecting the panel of Judges for Figure Skating and development of a provisional new Judging System.

Following his re-election by acclamation, ISU President Mr Ottavio Cinquanta stressed the importance of unity to the organization. He said that the outcomes of the Congress demonstrated that the ISU was "active, proactive and responsive."

Key changes agreed by the Congress:

• After intensive debate on the Judging System for Figure Skating and Ice Dancing, the Congress decided that, with immediate effect from next season, the main change will be that 20 Judges will attend the Championships. 14 Judges will be randomly selected and only 9 of the 14 (chosen randomly and anonymously) will determine the result. This structure applies for each event (Short Program, Free Skating). The concept has been taken from a much wider revolutionary project originally worked out by President Cinquanta and then presented by the Council.
• The full project will be worked on intensively for completion as soon as possible and implementation if it is proved suitable.
• Other key features of the new system:
  • The scoring system will be cumulative from 0 rather than deducting from 6.0
  • Each element of a skater's program will be assigned a score according to an agreed scale of difficulty, plus or minus a score for the quality of execution
  • Scores for all technical elements and their grades of execution plus scores for general skating skills will be added to a Presentation Score
  • The total score of the Short Program will be added to the total score of the Free Program producing the Total Competition Score
  • The marks awarded by the 9 Judges are added and the highest total score wins
  • Further details will be coming soon
• An Ethics Commission will be established to write a Code of Ethics for the ISU
• First nomination of Referees, Judges, Starters and Competitors Stewards will be made by the member and must be approved by the Technical Committee for the relevant discipline and Council. Re-nominations in subsequent years will be made by the Technical Committee, subject to confirmation by the Council
• Referees in both Speed Skating and Short Track Speed Skating will be permitted to consult relevant video evidence in the case of a protest, provided that a suitable video system/procedure is readily available

Selected other changes, listed by discipline:

Figure Skating

• In Pairs Skating any kind of hold, including unrestricted holds, will now be allowed in the carry
• The dress of ladies in Figure Skating and Ice Dancing must not give the effect of excessive nudity inappropriate for an athletic sport

Ice Dance

• Competitions at ISU Championships (except Junior Championships) and the Olympic Winter Games will subsequently include only one Compulsory Dance instead of two. The Original and Free Dance remain
• The "Midnight Blues" has been introduced as a new Compulsory Dance

Speed Skating

• The 3 day program for the World Championships Single Distances will be substantially revised and the Organizing Committee will now have the option of holding the Championship over 4 days
• Substantial improvements have been approved to safety measures, including the increased use of protection mats
• In ISU all-round, Sprint Championships and the 500m races at the Olympic Winter Games, skaters may not enter remaining race(s) if they fail to complete any preceding race
• There will be official recognition of the World Record for the combined time for 2 x 500m races as well as the individual 500m race, for which the record is already recognized

Short Track

• Quarter-final events of 500 meters will now have no more than 4 skaters participating. 4 is already the maximum for semi-finals and finals

Election Results

The Congress elected the following ISU Office Holders:

President					Mr Ottavio Cinquanta (ITA)

First Vice-President (Speed Skating)		Mr Gerhard Zimmermann (GER)

Second Vice-President (Figure Skating)		Mr David Dore (CAN)




Council Members Figure Skating			Ms Marie Lundmark (FIN)
						Ms Tjasa Andrée-Prosenc (SLO)
						Mr Courtney JL Jones OBE (GBR)
						Ms Phyllis Howard (USA)

Council Members Speed Skating			Mr German Panov (RUS)
						Mr Myong-Hi Chang (KOR)
						Mr Jan Dijkema (NED)
						Mr György Martos (HUN)

Figure Skating Technical Committee		Mr Alexander Lakernik (RUS) - Chair
						Mr Ronald T Pfenning (USA)
						Ms Junko Hiramatsu (JPN)
						Mr Fabio Bianchetti (ITA)
						Mr Vladislav Petukhov (UKR)

Ice Dancing Technical Committee			Mr Alexandr Gorshkov (RUS) - Chair
						Ms Ann Shaw (CAN)
						Ms Olga Gilardini (ITA)
						Ms Halina Gordon-Poltorak (POL)
						Ms Ludmila Mikhailovskaya (UKR)
						
Synchronized Skating Tech. Committee		Mr Leon Lurje (SWE) - Chair
						Mr Ulrich Linder (SUI)
						Ms Helen Poole (GBR)	
						Ms Joanne Shaw (CAN)
						Ms Monique Georgelin (FRA)

Speed Skating Technical Committee		Mr Tron Espeli (NOR) - Chair
						Mr Ard Schenk (NED)
						Mr Roland Maillard (SUI)
						Mr Jan Marmstäl (SWE)
						Mr Eugene M Sandvig (USA)

Short Track S.S. Technical Committee   		Mr Andy Gabel (USA) - Chair
						Mr Li Lan (CHN)
						Mr Stoytcho G Stoytchev (BUL)
						Mr Reinier Oostheim (NED)
						Mr Won-Ho Yoon (KOR)
					
Appeals Commission				Ms Maria Bialous-Zuchowicz (POL) - Chair			
				Speed Skating	Mr Egbert Schmid (AUT)
				Figure Skating	Mr Donald McKnight (AUS)
				Speed Skating	Mr Fred Benjamin (USA)
				Figure Skating	Mr Allan Böhm (SVK)

For further information please contact:

Rowland Jack - Communications Coordinator

E-mail jack@isu.ch
Mobile +81 90 4023 3222

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