- Joined
- Jan 5, 2019
I am surprised that the idea of virtual congress was not considered, given that there is not much else to do atm for all those officials. Surely, they can manage internet connections in 2020...
I am surprised that the idea of virtual congress was not considered, given that there is not much else to do atm for all those officials. Surely, they can manage internet connections in 2020...
I hadn't been following discussions of changes to take place in 2022-23 season, if there were any. So I'm interested that one proposal is to raise the number of entries at Worlds, to include more countries. Established countries would not have their qualifying numbers raised. So still, a maximum of 3 from any one country. I like that proposal.
I love love love LOVE the proposal having more countries qualify and more participation at Worlds, and that ISU acknowledges this will reward small feds for all their hard work and help encourage figure skating popularity throughout the world:agree:
Quite interesting actually. I think that most of the discussion among fans has run in the opposite direction -- that very successful countries like Russia and Japan should get extra spots because, after all, this is supposed to be a World Championship where the best skaters in the world (never mind nationality) gather to fight it out.
Evidently this point of view has not gathered any traction with the ISU leadership. The most compelling consideration seems to be that the ISU can make more money by encouraging governments of small federation countries to invest in figure skating, and to be able to tell them, "See? Your investment paid off -- you're going the world championship!"
Another idea that I think is worthy of consideration is this: instead of having an expanded qualifying round maybe there could be a series of regional qualifying events to see who makes it to the big show. This could be more exciting for the skaters and more interesting to the fans than to invite a lot of marginally qualified competitors to attend a huge event when their entire experience ends up being 4 minutes long and a point total that only proves that they shouldn't have been there in the first place.
On the other hand, a rising skater from a tiny federation could take legitimate pride in placing well at Regionals, with aspirations to up the ante (both individually and nationally) the next year.
...Expanding access for small fed skaters while giving dominant federations even more of an opportunity to choke all the oxygen out of the room...
I don't think it would suck all the oxygen out of the room if the World Championship featured Trusova, Shcherbakova, Kostornia AND Zagitova, Medvedeva and Tuktamysheva. I, for one, would watch.
And definitely never, ever, ever expand the number of slots available per country unless it's done on the same basis as Four Continents, in which every country has the same right to send 3 skaters who have the minimums. Expanding access for small fed skaters while giving dominant federations even more of an opportunity to choke all the oxygen out of the room is even more counterproductive than limiting access to the SP based on broadcasters' schedules.
If you’re outside the top three in your nation but still guaranteed a spot at major international competitions, you won’t have incentive to improve. You think Tuktamysheva and Medvedeva will be training quads if they could compete outside of Russia without them?
I think there is another way to look at it. Alina Zagitova is part of the World just like the skater from some other country is. She is not suddenly a Martian just because Trusova and the others do well. It depends on whether we think of "The World" as meaning all the nations in the world or all the people in the world.el_henry said:Three of the best from each country is plenty and all we need; that's why it's "Worlds". Invite the World.
I am surprised that the idea of virtual congress was not considered, given that there is not much else to do atm for all those officials. Surely, they can manage internet connections in 2020...
Another idea that I think is worthy of consideration is this: instead of having an expanded qualifying round maybe there could be a series of regional qualifying events to see who makes it to the big show. This could be more exciting for the skaters and more interesting to the fans than to invite a lot of marginally qualified competitors to attend a huge event when their entire experience ends up being 4 minutes long and a point total that only proves that they shouldn't have been there in the first place.
On the other hand, a rising skater from a tiny federation could take legitimate pride in placing well at Regionals, with aspirations to up the ante (both individually and nationally) the next year.