Month: February 2014

  • Skating Articles on Friday, February 28, 2014

    USA’S Davis and White headline the 2014 Cast of Emmy-Award Winning Stars on Ice - Source, StarsOnIce.com

    Davis, White enjoy magical New York victory tour: Newly crowned Olympic ice dance champs leave door open for worlds - by Lynn Rutherford, IceNetwork News

    Team USA's Ashley Wagner, Gracie Gold & Polina Edmunds Sound Off About Skating Scoring System - Source, JustJaredJr.com

    Back to being Fierce - by Ashley Wagner, ESPNW

    'CGW': Ashley Wagner talks stink face, likens Sochi to 'Hunger Games' - Source, Fox Sports

    2014 World Figure Skating Championships Official Website - Source, WFC2014.jp

    Sochi from My Rearview Mirror: Part Two - by Allison Scott, On The Edge of Skating

    Artistic Heart of Skating Torn Out, Skaters Say - by Monica Friedlander, San Francisco Figure Skating Examiner

    Hanyu embodies skating ‘resurgence’ in gala show - Source, The Japan Times

    Figure Skating and Premed: an Unlikely Combo? CAS sophomore juggles the two - by Kat Hasenauer, BU.edu

  • Cinquanta's Secret Judging, Leadership and Policies: Their abhorrent perceptions bring the ISU to an important crossroads

    A Blazing Blades Editorial

    Current problems within the Judging system don't just involve the results that all too often are questioned by both the general audience and those involved full time in the sport. Perception plays an equally important part in what is wrong.

    Quoting Dick Button, "How are judges, who have been caught cheating, allowed to judge again, while Tonya Harding is banned for life?"

    Why are National Governing Bodies (NGB's) allowed to keep Judges who have been caught and sanctioned for cheating, continually involved in the sport? Why are NGB's allowed to assign a spouse of any officer or official within that body, as a judge at any skating event? Why does the International Skating Union (ISU) condone the outright flouting of the perception of cronyism, unfairness and the likelihood of cheating? Why does the ISU condone the additional use of anonymous judging, under the guise of keeping judges free of home nation pressure to mark more favorably for their own country's athletes, when it actually serves as a cover for the fudging of marks? Wow!

    Add to the above the heavy-handed approach the ISU uses to keep those who disagree with such practices, silent; by threatening sanctions against any skater, coach, official or member NGB who dares challenge the international body. We've seen this tactic used numerous times over the past 20 years, much of that time with Speed Skater Ottavio Cinquanta as ISU President.

    We can retool the IJS all we like, but as long as the aforementioned negative perceptions remain it will still be abused.

    Another issue is the selection of the judges and officials and their lack of independence from their national governing bodies; particularly for scoring at international events. Until an independent national and international organization takes full reigns of this process, all the retooling done to the IJS will not bring the right fix.

    Until a majority of ISU member NGB's can agree to end secret judging these over-riding perceptions will remain and continue to trump whatever mathematical fixes are attempted.

    Why has secret judging been kept in place? Here, one has to look at the organization of the ISU. Not only is it composed of some 80 plus national skating entities, a majority of those skating federations and associations are composed of two branches... Speed Skating and Figure Skating... both ice sports. Herein lays the problem. These are two completely different sports, executed in completely different formats under their own unique rules and regulations. Their mission and objectives are as different as night and day. Yet under the current ISU structure they all vote together on all issues before each sport. By allowing all NBG representatives to vote together on an issue relating to figure skating, this allows the current leadership, who favor attention to Speed Skating, to maintain control over the sport of figure skating (which they have little interest in or knowledge of) with policies that are destroying the soul of figure skating.

    This coming June U.S. Figure Skating representatives at the 2014 ISU Congress plan to introduce a formal proposal to bring an end to anonymous (secret) judging. They will attempt to have their proposal on the Congress agenda for a vote. Does President Cinquanta want this proposal to be voted on? Hell no! Will he work behind the scenes with his Speed Skating buddies to either block it from the agenda or get it voted down if necessary? You bet he will. Losing a vote to end secret judging will greatly diminish his control over and ability to collude with many NGB's who want to continue their influence on what marks can be fudged for skaters they wish to promote. He has and will continue to deny such shenanigans, what cheater wouldn't. What honest leader/s would allow such practices and perceptions to remain in place during their governance? Not one!

    My conclusion is based on what I have witnessed over the many (too many) years of President Cinquanta's governance. He is not honest. He is corrupt, manipulative, and uses backroom dealing with the use of threats and sanctions and banning of those who try to bring wrong-doing to light. He retains his corruptive manner because there are too many both afraid to challenge him and his corruptive buddies and who would love use their own manner of leadership in the future.

    My final sense is if secret judging remains in place after this Congress we likely will see another 20 years of the same sport-killing policies continue along with it. If the leaders of the sport refuse to deal with the troubles that face figure skating they will see a further decline in support from those of us who love what the sport has brought to our lives; a unique sport among sports, one that combines athleticism, music, art and dance into one glorious union.

    Conclusion: Let's see one of two things.

    1. Along with the end of secret judging, eventual reorganization within the ISU. Make the ISU Presidency into the organization's CEO... who is not involved in the management of either the Speed Skating or Figure Skating entities of the whole. Separate Speed Skating and Figure Skating into two separate sections of the ISU, each electing its own President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. End joint funding which allows for either sport to manipulate the monies or policies of the other. Both Presidents would report to the ISU CEO on matters relating to international interest for their respective sports. (This is the preferable change).

    If not 1 above then undertake the more radical approach.

    2. U.S. Figure Skating, in conjunction with U.S. media (NBC when next ISU contract renewal comes up), serve notice it will sever ties to the ISU taking it's huge portion of the ISU budget and as many other NGB's that might follow suit and form a new international figure skating entity; and effectively cripple those unwilling to bring positive change to the sport internationally. (This should not have to happen if those who purport to have Figure Skating's best interest at heart decide to work for positive change; not continue secrecy and backroom dealing). 

    Peter Murray, Editor

  • Skating Articles on Thursday, February 27, 2014

    U.S. Synchros live coverage begins Thursday: Icenetwork's live and on-demand coverage of the 2014 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships begins Thursday at 4:35 p.m. ET from Colorado Springs - Source, IceNetwork News

    2014 U.S. Synchronized Skating Championships Starting Orders and Results - Source, IceNetwork.com

    On Thin Ice - Christina H. Gao, The Crimson

    The Road to Sochi in My Rearview Mirror - Part One - by Allison Scott, Life on the Edge of Skating

    J.Lo's Special Shout Out to Olympian Jason Brown (video) - by Raphael Chestang, ET Online

    Olympian Jason Brown honored, thanks supporters at Highland Park High - by Bob Susnjara, Daily Herald.com

    Gracie Gold's Heart "Melted" by Calif. Teen's Prom Proposal - Source, NBC Chicago.com

    Liberty Counsel Fights for Pelletier Family – Teen Daughter Being Held by State - Source, LibertyCouncil.org

    17 Reasons Why Yuna Kim Will Forever Be The Ice Queen - by Julie Hong, BuzzFeed.com

    1,000 Sendai local "player Hanyu! Welcome back", the prefectural government - Source, Asahi.com

    World and Olympic Figure Skating Stars Present FrenchieSkate 2014 - Source, FrenchieSkatge.com

    Olympic Champions' show Moscow 24.II.2014 (Photo Gallery) - Source, DolceFlute.gallery.ru

    Russia Protects Alleged Mobster Accused of Olympic Judge Bribes - by Cindy Galli, Patrick Reevell and Brian Ross, ABC News

    A Year In Blogging: Skate Guard's First Anniversary - by Ryan Stevens,Skateguard1.blogspot.com

  • Skating Articles on Wednesday, February 26, 2014

    Japan Skate Heroine Hits Back at Tokyo 2020 Chief - Source, Jakarta Globe

    Asada wavering on retirement from competition - Source, The Asahi Shimbun

    Takahashi reflects on Olympic experience - Source, The Japan Times

    More Pieces Of Evidence Suggesting Olympic Figure Skating Was Rigged By Russia - Source, Crushable.com

    Hits and misses: Sochi's best and worst moments: Russia, Kostner, U.S. dancers thrive; France, Canada, Germany struggle - by Amy Rosewater, IceNetwork News

    Gracie Gold and Ashley Wagner Dish on the Secret to Figure Skater-Perfect Red Lips - by Alex Apatoff, People.com

    My thoughts and prayers for Evgeni Plushenko, pre-surgery - Source, Dreamy Pop Royalty

    Figure skating at the Olympics: Justice served - by Chloe Katz, The Economist.com

    Liberty to host college figure skating event this weekend - Source, Liberty.edu

    Olympic figure skating medalist returns home to RI - Source, ABC6.com

  • Skating Articles on Tuesday, February 25, 2014

    For golden U.S. ice dancers, might TV dancing be next? - by Jeff Seidel, USA Today

    Meryl Davis & Charlie White: 2014 Olympic champions - Source, IceNetwork Photo Galleries

    Johnny Weir and Tara Lipinski are moving to Access Hollywood - by Jonathan Biles, AwfulAnnouncing.com

    Wagner: 'I needed those performances to believe in myself' (Interview) - by Christine Brennan, USA Today

    Figure Skating Flop by U.S. Means Lost Riches as Program Falters - by Mason Levinson, Bloomberg.com

    Nancy Kerrigan Speaks Out About Tonya Harding 20 Years After Infamous Scandal - by Kathy Ehrich Dowd, People.com

    NBC documentary ‘Nancy & Tonya’ revisits 1994 skating scandal - by Maxine Nelson, Tampa TV Examiner

    How the Sochi Games changed figure skating forever - by Lawrence Yee, Yahoo Sports

    Sochi Olympics 2014: Viral Petition to Overturn Figure Skating Result Causes Near-Crash of Change.org Web Site (VIDEOS) - by Vittorio Hernandez, International Business Times

    Olympics-Figure skating-Belousova and Protopopov see Russian legacy restored - by Alissa de Carbonnel, Yahoo Sports

  • Skating Articles on Monday, February 24, 2014

    Olympic scandal is a battle for the heart and soul of figure skating - by Monica Friedlander, Examiner.com

    IOC deserting duty with failure to act on skating scandal - by Jack Gallagher, The Japan Times

    Figure skating ‘fix’ accusation gains momentum as winner pictured hugging judge - Source, Yahoo Sports

    Teen survives aneurysm, returns to skating (w/video) - by Christa Dubill, KSHB Kansas City

    Inside look at Sochi figure skating: Producer's perspective - by Nick McCarvel, NBCOlympics.com

    10 Best Beauty Looks From Olympic Skaters - by Brooke Shunatona, Cosmopolitan.com

    Kristi Yamaguchi interviews Meryl Davis and Charlie White about winning the first-ever Olympic gold medal in Ice Dancing for Team USA - Source, TeamUSA.org

    Physiotherapist for Tessa Virtue enjoyed Sochi experience - by Rebecca Wright, The Windsor Star

    Nude Mesh vs. Nude Lycra: Figure Skating’s Faux-Nudity Secrets Revealed - by Josh Levin, Slate.com

    Mao’s inflexibility hurt medal chances - by Jack Gallagher, The Japan Times

    Plushenko to have back surgery in March - by Barry Wilner, The Boston Globe

    NEXXICE breaks Canadian record en route to eighth straight national crown at Skate Canada Synchronized Skating Championships - Source, SkateCanada.ca

  • 2014 Olympic Figure Skating Champions

    Meryl Davis and Charlie White (USA) - Ice Dance, Adelina Sotnikova (Russia) - Ladies, Yuzuru Hanyu (Japan) - Men, and Tatiana Volosozhar and Maxim Trankov (Russia) - Pairs. 

    2014 Olympic Figure Skating Champions

  • Skating Articles on Sunday, February 23, 2014

    World Class: Kim not making a fuss about silver: Skaters still figuring out futures; Platov agrees with dance decision - by Amy Rosewater and Lynn Rutherford, IceNetwork News

    South Korea Puts Anger Aside After Olympic Skating Disappointment - by Choe Sang-Hun, New York Times

    The 2014 Olympic Games - by Sonia Bianchetti Garbato, SoniaBianchetti.com

    Sochi won't be last of Tara Lipinski and Johnny Weir - by Nancy Armour, USA Today

    South Korean Olympic Committee protests results of women's figure skating - Source, CTV News

    Sensors Show Figure Skaters Absorb 8x Their Own Body Weight After Jumps - by Andrew Liszewski, Gizmodo.com.au

    Okana Baiul: Official Statement on the Situation in Ukraine - Source, OksanaBaiul.com

    SOCO CW Television Star Matthew Wessler Learns to Figure Skate! - by Jo Ann Schneider Farris, About.com Figure Skating

    What Happened to U.S. Women's Figure Skating? - by Dvora Meyers, Jezebel.com

    Downward trend continues for U.S. figure skaters: Ice dance gold country's lone medal, but there's hope for future with skaters such as Gracie Gold and Jason Brown - by Philip Hersh, Chicago Tribune

    Gracie Gold plans her Olympic return - by Martin Rogers, Yahoo Sports

    Getting Up And Saying No (Part 2) - by Ryan Stevens, Skateguard1.blogspot.com

    Figure Skating Exhibition Gala at Sochi - Source, Palm Beach Post

    Were the Figure-Skating Judges Wrong, or was NBC? - by Amy Davidson, New Yorker.com

  • Skating Articles on Saturday, February 22, 2014

    Scandalous outcome: Skating judges steal Kim’s title, hand it to Sotnikova - by Jack Gallagher, The Japan Times

    Figure skating official: 'I'm not hiding anything' - by Philip Hersh, Chicago Tribune

    IOC: There's no figure skating judging controversy - by Dan Wolken, USA Today

    Sotnikova Beat Kim Yu-Na? Figure Skating Is Probably Corrupt (But We Knew That) - by Kevin Fallon, The Daily Beast

    Adelina Sotnikova’s Upset Victory Is Hard to Figure - by Juliet Macur, The New York Times

    The Lesson of Sochi 2014: Figure Skating Takes Grit, Not Just Grace - by Gina Delfonzo, The Atlantic

    Sochi 2014: 1.5m sign petition calling for inquiry into figure skating gold (Now at 1.75 Million and climbing) - by Justin McCurry, The Guardian

    Why Ashley Wagner Is Wrong About Figure Skating: It’s OK to question your sport’s judging system; it’s not OK to pander to mass media at the expense of good sportsmanship - by Emily Fleischaker, BuzzFeed.com

    From BU News Service - the positive effect Marissa & Simon's success has been for young skaters at the Club (video) - Source, BU News Service

    Local Figure Skater (Alicia Hsu) Relaxes into Sport (video) - Source, Fox17.com

    Adios, Yuna! Scandal tarnishes career-ending (use google translate) - by Thomas Croy, FreiePresse.de

    Dorothy Hamill: 'I Would Have Given Gracie Gold Higher Scores' - by Dorothy Hamill, Parade online

    Sochi Olympics, figure skating gala: live stream, start time, TV info and more - by Josh Sanchez, Fansided.com

  • Skating Articles on Friday, February 21, 2014

    Russia's first lady: Sotnikova ousts Kim for gold: Kostner bags bronze for Italy; USA's Gold lands fourth, Wagner seventh - by Amy Rosewater, IceNetwork News

    Adelina Sotnikova wins Russia’s first ladies figure skating gold; Gracie Gold finishes 4th - by Josh Sanchez, Fansided.com

    Ashley Wagner slams Olympic figure skating judges, calls for change - by Martin Rogers, Yahoo Sports

    Mao Asada's awe-inspiring comeback - by Michelle Kennedy, Seattle Figure Skating Examiner

    Ashley Wagner questions why falling free skaters scored higher - by Chuck Schilken, Los Angeles Times

    Why The Olympic Figure Skating Final Wasn't Fixed - by Tony Manfred, Business Insider

    Kostner's bronze touches hearts of skating fans: Podium finish in Sochi represents a dream realized for soft-spoken Italian - by Mickey Brown, IceNetwork News

    Olympics-Figure skating-Sotnikova crowned champion but judging under scrutiny - by Pritha Sarkar, Reuters News

    That Was ... Curious: Russia’s Adelina Sotnikova beat Yuna Kim to win figure skating gold. But did she really deserve to win? - by Jessica Winter, Slate.com

    In Defeat, Gracie Gold, Polina Edmunds Signal Revival for U.S. Figure Skating - by Meri-Jo Borzilleri, Bleacher Report

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