http://isu.sportcentric.net/db//files/serve.php?id=2601Communication No.1671
Decisions of the ISU CouncilThe ISU Council met on April 8-10, 2011 in Helsinki/Finland. The following were among the
decisions taken by the Council during the meeting:
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3. Olympic Winter Games (OWG) 2014 – Sochi – inclusion of Figure Skating Team eventThe ISU Council was pleased to acknowledge the decision of the Executive Board of the
International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirming the inclusion of the Figure Skating Team
event into the program of the Olympic Winter Games (OWG) of Sochi 2014.
As previously announced, the 10 best national teams, composed of one Single Lady Skater, one
Single Man Skater, 1 Pair Skating couple and 1 Ice Dance couple shall participate in the Short
Program of the Team Event. The best 5 teams after the Short Program will then skate the Free
Skating. Basically the same skaters who qualified for the individual Figure Skating disciplines
(Ladies, Men, Pair Skating, Ice Dance) in the OWG, or the entered substitute/s, are permitted to
participate in the Team event. Subject to IOC confirmation there may be some limited
possibilities to change some Skaters between the Short Program and the Free Skating.
The ISU in cooperation with the International Olympic Committee is currently working out the
detailed qualifying system to determine the 10 teams competing in the Figure Skating Team
event at the Sochi 2014 OWG. The qualifying system will be based on the results of ISU Figure
Skating Events preceding the 2014 OWG. The qualifying system under preparation will also
indicate the applicable entry/substitution procedures, in particular for Members qualified among
the 10 teams but not having qualified individual skaters/couples in all the disciplines of the
individual Figure Skating events of the OWG. The qualifying system and entry rules and
procedures will be announced as soon as submitted to and approved by the IOC.
4. ICE - International Cup of Skating Excellence (Invitational Series event in Figure
Skating)The ISU Council gave its agreement in principle to create a series of annual Open International
Competitions which shall be skated over a period of three separate television competitions, to be
held on three separate weeks in three different geographical locations, in principle one in Asia,
one in Europe and one in North America. The participants in this series may be among eligible
and ineligible skaters and should be a medallist of either a ISU World Championships or
Olympic Winter Games in their respective discipline within the previous ten years.
The initiative was presented by a United States based organization called ICE - International Cup
of Skating Excellence, LLC (hereafter called “ICE”), who includes as its Chief Creative Officer
the 1984 Olympic Figure Skating Champion,
Mr. Scott Hamilton. Subject to receiving a satisfactory detailed proposal of ICE (location, dates, confirmed
cooperation/understanding with the concerned ISU host Members, invited skaters, event format
and technical package (free skating only), prize money etc), the ISU is available to sanction three
competitions during the season 2011/12 that cannot be in conflict with any ISU Event and/or
national championships of the concerned host Members.
Further details and the Announcement shall be released as soon as the specific ICE proposal has
been received and approved.
5. Social media – video productionThe Council in principle agreed to pursue an initiative to become active in the social media for a
tentative launch during the summer 2011 and also to produce a series of new videos for use
during ISU Events and other promotional activities.
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9. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating and ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure SkatingFor the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating (senior) the Council decided to give the
possibility to
seeded Skaters to skate 3 Grand Prix events per season under certain conditions that will be
published in the Announcement for the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating.
For the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final the Council decided upon a reduction of
entries for the Junior Ladies and Men into the Final from 8 down to 6 entries. Since the Council
took the same decision during its previous meeting (see ISU Communication 1655) for the Pair
Skating and Ice Dance disciplines, it means that for all disciplines there will be 6 entries only
into the ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final.
10. Council meetingsThe Council agreed to hold its Autumn meeting in Florence/Italy on October 14 to October 16,
2011.
The Winter Council meeting will be held in Nice/France on the occasion of the World Figure
Skating Championships 2012 on March 30 through April 2, 2012.
Milan, Ottavio Cinquanta, President
April 19, 2011
Lausanne, Fredi Schmid, Director General