Coronavirus and the new season | Page 19 | Golden Skate

Coronavirus and the new season

Alex D

Record Breaker
Joined
Sep 23, 2013
The situation in regards of traveling, is holding back all international sports right now. While it´s true that some countries like Germany or Austria & Switzerland do quite ok and open borders soon, we must remember that the Virus is not gone yet. A "first" international sports event might happen in July at Berlin in Tennis. 6 women and men will compete, like Svitolina, Bertens and Görges, Thiem, Kyrgios and Sasha Zverev. Smaller events, without a crowd might be all we can expect for quite some time, as that Virus just sits here and waits for it´s chance.

We see that in Germany every day, since they lifted the restrictions, we get more infections again, 700+ on each of the past two days. Because of that, there will be a lot of rules to follow, if you go to a different country, it could be having a corona app, having a negative corona test or a quarantine. All might come with a financial cost and then you might have to pay more for coaches too, ice time as mentioned or even food. In Germany the prices are increasing lately, stuff that did cost 3 bucks, now goes for 7 and this will up the costs if skaters are living in a student home, academy...

As someone mentioned, only the more wealthy skaters might be able to keep things going, which would be a big shame as quite a lot of skaters already had a hard time before Corona, asking for donations or having to skip events like many young russians, who no longer could afford the trips to Oberstdorf.

In Germany at Dresden and Chemnitz skaters are back in training, quite a lot of rules to follow, no showering at the venue, distance rules, must come in practice clothes and so on.
 

Gabby30

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 8, 2019
The situation in regards of traveling, is holding back all international sports right now. While it´s true that some countries like Germany or Austria & Switzerland do quite ok and open borders soon, we must remember that the Virus is not gone yet. A "first" international sports event might happen in July at Berlin in Tennis. 6 women and men will compete, like Svitolina, Bertens and Görges, Thiem, Kyrgios and Sasha Zverev. Smaller events, without a crowd might be all we can expect for quite some time, as that Virus just sits here and waits for it´s chance.

We see that in Germany every day, since they lifted the restrictions, we get more infections again, 700+ on each of the past two days. Because of that, there will be a lot of rules to follow, if you go to a different country, it could be having a corona app, having a negative corona test or a quarantine. All might come with a financial cost and then you might have to pay more for coaches too, ice time as mentioned or even food. In Germany the prices are increasing lately, stuff that did cost 3 bucks, now goes for 7 and this will up the costs if skaters are living in a student home, academy...

As someone mentioned, only the more wealthy skaters might be able to keep things going, which would be a big shame as quite a lot of skaters already had a hard time before Corona, asking for donations or having to skip events like many young russians, who no longer could afford the trips to Oberstdorf.

In Germany at Dresden and Chemnitz skaters are back in training, quite a lot of rules to follow, no showering at the venue, distance rules, must come in practice clothes and so on.

Even F1 has a season- it begins in Austria in july.
The government here ( Slovenia) has now announced that wearing masks is not necessary animore ( except for the infected and the people who work with sick ones). Almost all restrictions are gone now, the government is even paying every of age citizen 200 EUR for vacation ( in our own country ofc), to help the tourism industry- this idea is supported by Brussels.

Anyway, i believe in 4 or 5 months many sport events are going back to normal, but we all should avoid the USA because it seems that some protests are more important for them than safety, so Corona might stay there for a bit longer...
 

moonvine

All Hail Queen Gracie
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 14, 2007
Country
United-States
All of you guys who claim FS is safe to resume only after coronavirus vaccine is found, please answer me this. If a vaccine is never found, then what?
From what we've heard, the virus adapts and changes quite fast, which makes it harder to find a cure or a vaccine. Flu vaccines don't work against all types of flu, IIRC. If the coronavirus proves to be the same, then...? No FS for years to come? I'm not one to miss pub and beach revelling, to remove my mask at the first opportunity, or to liken the epidemic to a banal flu. But waiting with indoor events until a vaccine is found and applied, sounds to me like a good way to kill FS and make all the current generation of senior skaters retire. A vaccine could take long years, or may never be found. My hopes are rather with strict hygiene, distancing, search for effective medication, quick contact tracking, strict quarantine (bracelets if needs be), widely available (and affordable) tests etc.

I would think it would be ok when there’s effective treatment, not necessarily a vaccine. That’s when I’ll feel safe to do things like go to the gym. Or attend a sporting event.
 

TallyT

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Country
Australia
I would think it would be ok when there’s effective treatment, not necessarily a vaccine. That’s when I’ll feel safe to do things like go to the gym. Or attend a sporting event.

We have a range of competitions, to be held in countries with an enormous range of current and projected (not that that means much) infection rates, government responses, available treatments for symptoms, probable safety for people to enter, and likelihood to open their individual borders in time. I think at the minute, we have to go with Niels Bohr's "prediction is very difficult, especially about the future" and just... wait and see. But of course we won't. Not even me :laugh:
 

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 1, 2013
Country
Australia
Not related to figure skating, but this article shows how dangerous it would be to hold a public sporting event in the near future: https://www.espn.com/tennis/story/_...ria-tour-cautionary-tale-coronavirus-pandemic

I mean, this was an epic stupid concept from the start.

But in Australia the return of the NRL has been fairly successful, to the point small crowds are being allowed back. So it can be done...in low-risk areas and with sensible precautions.
 

TallyT

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Country
Australia
A slight nonsequitor for people who might be interested: the special exhibition for Yuzu by Yomiuri Shinbun, which was held at department stores throughout Japan two years ago, is being reheld this year as an online one, to be opened 1st July 1.

The reason I'm putting it here is that some of the proceeds from the sale of merchandise (which will also be available online, though whether international isn't clear yet) is being donated to covid relief and workers.

https://twitter.com/Yomiuri_gorin/st...77406273548289
https://twitter.com/bty_bst_phtm/status/1275242397681639425

So it's for a good cause :)
 

Mylesag

Rinkside
Joined
Jan 29, 2012
So, when will the regular competition calendar resume and we can dispense with all the bothersome safeguards? We can't keep Janni W., Tara L. and Terry locked up forever!!
 

el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.
Record Breaker
Joined
Mar 3, 2014
Country
United-States
So, when will the regular competition calendar resume and we can dispense with all the bothersome safeguards? We can't keep Janni W., Tara L. and Terry locked up forever!!

And we can’t expose them to the virus either. :) I do not think there will be a regular competition schedule this year, not with worldwide variations. Luckily a year is not “forever”.
 

TallyT

Record Breaker
Joined
Apr 23, 2018
Country
Australia
So, when will the regular competition calendar resume and we can dispense with all the bothersome safeguards? We can't keep Janni W., Tara L. and Terry locked up forever!!

Taking a look at the daily worldwide stats -? I suggest they all get used to the drought. By the look of it, we are going to hit 10 million cases worldwide within the next 7 days. And Australia has proven over the week that even the slightest bit of complacency, the virus will move in on.

On the other hand, apparently Japan is making plans for NHK (as I expect all of the hosts will at this point) and Nationals...

https://nos.nl/artikel/2338415-22-k...s-in-quarantaine-na-positief-coronageval.html
22 Dutch figure skaters and six coaches who attended a trainings camp in Belgium are now in quarantaine after a skater tested positive upon returning home.
Really bad luck, they’d only just gotten back on the ice. :-(

I'll keep sending karmic thoughts to them....
 

theblade

On the Ice
Joined
Feb 15, 2018
Look to see a coach or two returning to their home country - or ones where they are eligible to coach a full roster of students more easily.

Work status/local coaches consolidating students into their groups/border crossing issues... a thing for the next while.
 

mudav

Rinkside
Joined
Jan 23, 2018
Hello~
And in this situation of coronavirus is there any information about when Grand Prix Series assignments will be given, I mean when we will know which sportsman to go which Grand Prix?
 

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode
Record Breaker
Joined
Jan 1, 2013
Country
Australia
Hello~
And in this situation of coronavirus is there any information about when Grand Prix Series assignments will be given, I mean when we will know which sportsman to go which Grand Prix?

They have to make a call on Skate America by 1 August.

I really don't think we'll get GP assignments until then. There's no point. But honestly, we're not getting a GP this year, so it's all irrelevant.
 

drivingmissdaisy

Record Breaker
Joined
Feb 17, 2010
They have to make a call on Skate America by 1 August.

I really don't think we'll get GP assignments until then. There's no point. But honestly, we're not getting a GP this year, so it's all irrelevant.

It might be fun to hold the GPF when it was originally scheduled, but have it as a large event in which all skaters who would have had GP events participate. This might be a horrible idea in the middle of a pandemic, but interesting to think about having more than 3 skaters from the strongest countries compete against everyone.
 

RemyRose

YOLO
Record Breaker
Joined
Dec 28, 2005
Country
United-States
Hello~
And in this situation of coronavirus is there any information about when Grand Prix Series assignments will be given, I mean when we will know which sportsman to go which Grand Prix?

Next ISU council meeting is July 6th. So maybe shortly after...
 
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