INTERNATIONAL SKATING UNION Summary of Proposals For The 54th Ordinary Congress Kuala Lumpur – 2012 (Provisory Version January 31, 2012) ISU Council Article 9 Amend paragraph 1 as follows: 1. Meetings of Congress Meetings of Congress are held as follows: a) An Ordinary Congress is held every even numbered year, preferably in June or July on dates determined by the Council and announced to all Members at least six (6) months prior to the Congress. b) The next Ordinary Congress with elections will be held in 2016 (instead of 2014). The Congress 2014 will be with a Forum and without elections. c) The subsequent Ordinary Congresses with elections is organized every four (4) years after the Olympic Winter Games, but in the same year (starting in 2018). d) An ordinary Congress without election includes a Forum. e) An Extraordinary Congress is held whenever the Council considers it necessary or upon written demand, giving reasons, by one fifth of the Members. Reason: In the follow-up to the Barcelona Resolution the Council proposed to have elections two years after the Olympic Winter Games and would like to hold an Ordinary ISU Congress every 4 years and to hold the Conference every second year after the Ordinary Congress. Regarding the Conference, attention was given to the following: - • The function of the Conference is to debate on the topics in the Forums presented by the Members and ISU Office Holders and to decide on the proposals related to Technical Rules in accordance with the existing Art. 29.2b)
- • Timing of the Conference: the Conference should take place in the same year of the Olympic Winter Games, thereby allowing important changes to be implemented in due time before the next OWG. The duration of the Conference should not exceed three days.
In the meantime we had to learn that a conference has not the same right and power as the Congress and therefore different tasks of the Congress (Budget, report of auditing, discharge of the Council etc.) are reserved to Congress only. Therefore this cannot be the solution and the Council proposes to change it as mentioned above. Following the experience of other International Sport Federations the election cycle should be in line with the Olympic cycle of 4 years. To give enough time for the preparation of the Winter Olympic Games the Council and also the concerned Technical Committees need the whole period of four (4) years. The present World economic situation continues in a very serious state. With this situation, there are also effects being felt within the World of Sport, and on the efforts to maintain its economic viability and growth. Throughout this period the current relevant parties within the ISU have been successful in maintaining and in some cases improving contracts in all the ice skating disciplines. A large number of these contracts come forward for review/renewal in the period immediately following the 2014 Olympic Games. To maximize future contract results, it is felt that those persons presently involved be again available to direct and achieve the best economic situation for the ISU in the future. A consistency of involved parties would be a positive step to success and hopefully ensure a positive direction for the future. Working in tandem with this is work presently in play to enhance and develop office holders and various projects related to the future of the ISU and its basic organization in the later period post 2014. The present Council working with the other office holders would pledge to work in this manner. For this reason, the current Council would recommend maintaining the status quo in the political landscape to 2016 in order to develop and prepare the ISU for its future and that of all the sportspersons in the ISU. The 2016 election would be for a term of two years and the election cycle will return to its normal period in 2018. RUSSIA, Figure Article 9, paragraph 1 Add c) to read as follows: The elections of all ISU Bodies (except for the Council and the President) will take place in 2014, then in 2018. The elections of the Council Members and of the President will take place in 2016, then in 2018. Reason: The ISU Council Barcelona Congress 2010-Advisory Resolution follow up dated June 21, 2011 indicates the possibility of moving the elections of all ISU Bodies to 2016. This may result in the situation when a considerable number of new Office Holders of the ISU Bodies will be elected at the same time. In order to allow a softer transition period it is reasonable to separate the elections of different ISU Bodies during this transition period. With the purpose to bring new individuals who are ready to dedicate their time working in different ISU Bodies the 2014 Congress will nominate 4-5 individuals proposed by the Members who at the expense of the ISU will attend the Council meetings (but will not have the right to vote) to gain the necessary knowledge and experience and who may together with other candidates stand for the elections in 2016 and 2018. UNITED STATES, Figure Amend Article 9, paragraph 1, sub-paragraph a) as follows: 1. Meetings of Congress Meetings of Congress are held as follows: a) An Ordinary Congress is held every four even numbered years preferably in June or July in the year of the Olympic Winter Games, on dates determined by the Council and announced to all Members at least six months prior to the Congress; Reason: Follow up to Council proposal from the 2010 Congress. Will reduce the frequency of rule changes and also expenses to the ISU and the Members. CROATIA, Figure Article 9 Add paragraph 1.c): c) Next election will be held at a Congress in 2016 Reason: To be in line with ISU Council's Barcelona Congress 2010 – Advisory Resolution Follow up NOTE: Download the complete Provisory Version of the ISU Summary of Proposals for the 54th Ordinary ISU Congress HERE!
Blazing Blades Editorial
The proposal contained within Article 9, Paragraph 1 (above) and supported by the Russian Skating Federation, is nothing more than a "trick" invented by Ottavio Cinquanta to remain in his seat untill 2016. Cinquanta was born on August 15, 1938, which will make him 76 in 2014 therefore disqualifying him from seeking another term as ISU President. So he is obviously playing all his cards to remain president for two more years.
Now for some background and thoughts on this latest powerplay from Cinquanta. During the 2010 Congress in Barcellona, the Council proposed to hold the official Congress (with elections) every four years, in the Olympic year, and in between Olympic years, hold a non-voting Conference just to discuss a few items. Council members considered this to be total nonsense. (We're going to travel, pay board and lodging just to say: "Hello Mr. President". The whole package of the Council proposals was rejected and a committee was appointed to give some guidance to the Council for the 2012 Congress. With this provisory proposal Cinquanta intends to use this maneuver to postopone the elections. If the 2012 Congress decides to adopt the conference idea right away, the first one will be in 2014, so......no elections! Of course this is only a trick, because they could easily say that the 'conference proposal' will become effective in 2016. But, if the Congress accepts the idea of having the Conference in 2014, Speedy will remain in office two more years, circumventing ISU rules! If the proposal to postpone the elections is accepted, the elections then will be in 2016 and again in 2018 to make them coincide with the Olympic Cycle. The reason given by Cinquanta to keep his seat is laughable. Basically he is saying that because the current regime did such a good job with TV negotations (which he alone does), you have got to keep 'his' guys on for continuity, for the future health of the ISU. In other words, he doesn't want to quit because he is going to save the ISU, by providing consistency. Now for some truth: Cinquanta does not want to quit, because he wants to remain in the IOC. Once he is no longer the ISU President he loses his seat within the International Olympic Committee. Postponement of the elections will also prevent David Dore from running for president in 2016. Dore wants to run for ISU President in 2014, being age-eligible then, at 74. So, not only does Speedy wish to retain his hold on the top job in the ISU and his IOC Committee seat, he also has no particular fondness for the current ISU Vice President for Figure Skating. Why not then kill two birds with one stone! Besides Peter Krick, who else aligns with Cinquanta? Well, just look at the proposal. The Russian Figure Skating Federation for sure. Not only is this a power play by Ottavio it's also strategic maneuvering for the future leadership of the ISU. Adoption of this proposal will require a 2/3 majority of the Members at the upcoming Congress. Considering that Russia supports the idea, passage is very possible. It's long past due that the ISU membership stand up and reject this power play and allow for regular elections in 2014 as scheduled.
Peter Murray, Editor
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