The International Skating Union (ISU) has furnished the U.S. Attorney in New York with its complete files respecting the ISU disciplinary inquiry into misconduct in the judging of the figure skating Pairs event at the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympic Winter Games (OWG). The ISU disciplinary inquiry led to the suspension and exclusion of two prominent ISU officials from all ISU activities for three years plus the XXth OWG scheduled for Torino, Italy, 10 - 26 February, 2006.

The ISU hopes that the documents furnished will assist the current U.S. investigation into an alleged attempt by a Russian citizen who formerly resided in Paris, one Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov, to "fix" the results of the Olympic Pairs and Ice Dance Events. Although, the name Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov is not mentioned in the hundreds of pages of documents and testimony, the U.S. investigators may find the information to be of interest.

In support of the current inquiry, the ISU has issued to all its 73 national member federations worldwide, the following urgent request

For the sake of good order and with due respect, we kindly ask you to investigate whether any individual under the jurisdiction of your federation has any knowledge of misconduct of any person or persons acting in an official capacity for your federation, for the ISU, or for any other ISU Member, and in particular misconduct related to the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. If any skating person has met, or been involved in any way with, or knows of others that have been involved with, the accused Russian person, Alimzhan Tokhtakhounov, that information should be reported. It could be important to the authorities.

As previously announced, if verified and credible evidence is obtained and when proof is developed that ISU officials or members of ISU Member federations, or individual members of ISU Members, were part of the conspiracy alleged in the U.S. Department of Justice probe, the ISU will take vigorous disciplinary action to impose sanctions in accordance with its Constitution and General Regulations. In the interim, the ISU will do everything within its competence to obtain all information and evidence available, to assist in the U.S. inquiry, and to maintain close contact with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in Lausanne, and with CONI, the Italian Olympic Committee. CONI has taken an interest in the Italian proceedings respecting Mr.Tokhtakhounov.

After 31 July, comments by officials of ISU Members and media commentators have suggested that the 2002 ISU Congress, held in June in Kyoto/Japan voted to establish an independent ISU Ethics Commission. The ISU takes this occasion to report precisely on this matter.

At each week-long ISU Congress, proposals from the 73 ISU Members (figure skating and speed skating) are presented on a printed Agenda for debate, adoption or rejection by the delegates. At Kyoto, urgent Proposals numbers 1 and 10 presented by the United States Figure Skating Association (USFSA), in essence, proposed a life ban sanction for any "ethical violation". After a detailed presentation and debate, it was clear that the proposals lacked substantial support among the Members and the USFSA decided to withdraw them from consideration.

President Cinquanta, as the Chairman of the Congress, proposed the formation of a group with the purpose of determining an acceptable definition of an "ethical violation". This term was used in the USFSA's urgent proposals, but standing alone, without an adequate definition to identify which "rule violations" would also constitute an "ethical violation", the proposals were deemed to be vague and subject to arbitrary application. Nevertheless, the USFSA proposals and other similar proposals, and the ensuing debate, were valuable contributions to the subject matter under consideration.

All debates on Congress proposals, including those on "ethics" were conducted by open, democratic procedures, and in Kyoto for the first time such debates were available to the media who attended on real-time closed-circuit TV.

At present, very detailed provisions of the ISU Constitution, General Regulations, and Special Regulations for each of the respective ISU sport disciplines contain definitive rules of conduct which have been generally understood by the ISU Members to govern the conduct of competitions, officials and competitors. If faithfully followed in every instance by persons of integrity, these rules would be sufficient for the sporting and ethical governance of skating. These Regulations were developed over 110 years of ISU history with the goal of lifting international ice skating competitions above the quagmire of petty national pride as applied to international sporting contests. In recent decades, eagerness to obtain private gain, to exercise national parochial passions, and to achieve public fame, apparently have caused some to think of themselves as above these basic and sound regulations.

Any definition of an "ethical violation" must consider all the present regulations in the light of the new conditions affecting the sport disciplines, including monetary awards, doping, service to both an ISU Member and to the ISU as an ISU Office Holder, special relationships of ISU Office Holders with certain coaches and competitors, and, in general, all positions and interests which may subvert the independence or integrity of an individual as an Office Holder in the ISU.

Obviously such a definition will implicate changes to the governing statutes by the Congress, such as new definitions of misconduct and the possible formation of a distinct Disciplinary Commission, with power to enforce all provisions of the ISU Constitution, General and Special Regulations, including defined "ethical violations".

These activities respecting "ethics" and an improved disciplinary regime will be integrated with the restructuring activities authorized by unanimous approval by the 2002 Kyoto Congress. The approved ISU Council Resolution looks to a profound restructuring process within the International Skating Union. It reads, in part, as follows:

" . . . the Council proposes to review the structure of the ISU, after consultation with Members, Office Holders and - if possible - external consultants, and will present proposals to the 2004 ISU Congress in order to achieve a more adequate structure considering the following:

The ISU structure, even with substantial modifications, shall in any case remain such that each individual or internal body will be subject to supervision, guaranteeing transparency and democracy and ensuring that the interests of the Members are observed and respected. It will remain a structure based on a hierarchy where the Congress remains the superior body.

The responsibilities may be split and assigned according to the respective areas such as technical, medical, commercial, legal, etc.

The election and appointment of Office Holders and staff positions shall ensure that the best possible competencies may be retained and ensure a certain continuity.

The creation of an increased number of remunerated professional or semi-professional positions may be involved. However, the voluntary positions shall remain the widest group."

It is anticipated that the ISU Council, at its next meeting in Geneva, 11-13 October 2002, will consider, among many other agenda items, urgent measures to implement the considered response of the ISU Congress to the proposal of the ISU President to name a group to define "ethical violation", and to the Resolution of the ISU Council for developing a restructuring plan for the ISU.

The ISU invites special attention to the fact that, as reflected in the ISU Council minutes, the above-mentioned Council Resolution as well as the review of the Figure Skating Judging System were initiated before the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. These changes and others are the result of a systematic and well-elaborated effort to enhance the technical and substantive qualities of the ISU, and to consolidate the many positive changes adopted by the Union in recent years. While most of these initiatives do not command "breaking news" headlines, they are considered by the ISU Council to be fundamental to the progress and modernization of the ISU.

Ottavio Cinquanta		Fredi Schmid
President			General Secretary

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