The ISU Council met on June 9-11, 2023 in Budapest, Hungary. The following were among the decisions taken by the Council during the meeting.
1. Full ISU Membership
The Council granted full ISU Membership for the Speed Skating Branch to the Skating Federation of Vietnam, which is already a full ISU Member for the Figure Skating Branch.
2. IOC Recommendation March 28, 2023 – Russian and Belarus athletes’ participation in International Competitions
The Council discussed the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) recommendations of March 28, 2023 for International Federations on the participation of athletes with a Russian or Belarussian passport in International Competitions.
The Council decided to explore the feasibility issues with regard to potential pathways to implement the IOC recommendations within ISU Sports, while continuing to monitor the situation in Ukraine as well as the decisions and their implementation within the Olympic Movement. In the meantime, ISU Communication 2469 remains in force.
3. Appointment of Skaters and Coaches to the Technical Committees
The Council decided to appoint Enrico Fabris (ITA) as the Coach member of the Speed Skating Technical Committee.
4. Definite allotment of ISU Championships season 2023/24
In accordance with Rule 127 of the ISU General Regulations, the Council has definitely allotted the Championships for 2024 as follows:
Speed Skating
ISU European Speed Skating Championships to be held in Heerenveen, Netherlands on January 5-7, 2024
ISU Four Continents Speed Skating Championships to be held in Salt Lake City, USA on January 19-21, 2024
ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships to be held in Hachinohe City, Japan on February 9-11, 2024
ISU World Speed Skating Championships, Single Distances format, to be held in Calgary, Canada on February 15-18, 2024
ISU World Speed Skating Championships, Allround & Sprint format, to be held in Inzell, Germany on March 7-10, 2024
Short Track Speed Skating
ISU Four Continents Short Track Speed Skating Championships to be held in Laval, Canada on November 3-5, 2023
ISU European Short Track Speed Skating Championships to be held in Gdansk, Poland on January 12-14, 2024
ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships to be held in Gdansk, Poland on February 22-25, 2024
ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships to be held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands on March 15-17, 2024
Figure Skating
ISU European Figure Skating Championships to be held in Kaunas, Lithuania on January 8-14, 2024
ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships to be held in Shanghai, China on January 30-February 4, 2024
ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships to be held in Taipei City, Chinese Taipei on February 26-March 3, 2024
ISU World Figure Skating Championships to be held in Montreal, Canada on March 18-24, 2024
Synchronized Skating
ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships to be held in Neuchâtel, Switzerland, on March 15-16, 2024
ISU World Synchronized Skating Championships to be held in Zagreb, Croatia on April 5-6, 2024
5. Provisional Allotment of Pending ISU Championships season 2024/25
In accordance with Rule 127 of the ISU Regulations, the Council has provisionally allotted the following 2025 Championships:
Synchronized Skating
ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships 2025 to be held in Gothenburg, Sweden on March 7-8, 2025
6. Provisional Allotment of ISU Championships season 2025/26
In accordance with Rule 127 of the ISU Regulations, the Council has provisionally allotted the following 2026 Championships:
Speed Skating
ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships 2026 to be held in Inzell, Germany on February 27-March 1, 2026
Figure Skating
ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2026 to be held in Beijing, China on January 19-24, 2026
Due to a lack of applications for the 2026 ISU World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships, the Council decided to extend the application period for this Championships to August 31, 2023, for decision during the October Council meeting.
7. Provisional Allotment of ISU Championships season 2026/27
In accordance with Rule 127 of the ISU Regulations, the Council has provisionally allotted the following 2027 Championships:
Short Track Speed Skating
ISU European Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2027 to be held in Dresden, Germany on January 15-17, 2027
ISU World Junior Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2027 to be held in Almaty, Kazakhstan on January 28-31, 2027
The ISU Council decided to postpone the provisional allotment of other pending 2027 ISU Championships and, though all previously submitted bids would remain valid, to extend the application period for these Championships to August 31, 2023, for decision during the October Council meeting.
8. Provisional Allotment of ISU Championships season 2027/28
In accordance with Rule 127 of the ISU Regulations, the Council has provisionally allotted the following 2028 Championships:
Short Track Speed Skating
ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2028 to be held in Rotterdam, the Netherlands March 10-12, 2028
The ISU Council decided to postpone the provisional allotment of other pending 2028 ISU Championships and, though all previously submitted bids would remain valid, to extend the application period for these Championships to August 31, 2023, for decision during the October Council meeting.
9. ISU Junior World Figure Skating Championships – Opening Ceremony and Exhibition
The Council decided that in order to help organizing ISU Members and create a more time- and cost-effective Event, for the Junior World Figure Skating Championships the Opening Ceremony and Exhibition are no longer mandatory.
10. ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final season 2024/25
The Council allotted the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Final (junior & senior) to the Fédération Française des Sports de Glace (FFSG) to be held in Orléans/France on December 5-8, 2024.
11. Short Track Junior World Cup Season 2023/24
The Council approved the ISU Junior World Cup Short Track Calendar for the season 2023/24 as follows:
November 25-26, 2023 Leeuwarden, NED
December 2-3, 2023 Leeuwarden, NED
February 17-18, 2024 Budapest, HUN
12. ISU Figure Skating Championships 2024 – Minimum Total Element Scores
The Council determined that the Skaters/Couples participating in the ISU Championships 2024 must have reached the following Minimum Total Elements Scores during the ongoing season (2023/24) or the immediately preceding season (2022/23):
ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2024:
|
SP/RD |
FS/FD |
|
|
MEN |
34.00 |
64.00 |
|
WOMEN |
32.00 |
53.00 |
|
PAIR SKATING |
29.00 |
46.00 |
|
ICE DANCE |
35.00 |
52.00 |
ISU European, ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships 2024:
|
SP/RD |
FS/FD |
|
|
MEN |
28.00 |
46.00 |
|
WOMEN |
25.00 |
42.00 |
|
PAIR SKATING |
25.00 |
42.00 |
|
ICE DANCE |
30.00 |
48.00 |
ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships 2024:
|
SP/RD |
FS/FD |
|
|
JUNIOR MEN |
25.00 |
44.00 |
|
JUNIOR WOMEN |
25.00 |
40.00 |
|
JUNIOR PAIR SKATING |
23.00 |
34.00 |
|
JUNIOR ICE DANCE |
24.00 |
38.00 |
The required Minimum Total Elements Score for the Short Program/Rhythm Dance and the Free Skating/Free Dance to participate in Senior ISU Championships (ISU European Figure Skating Championships, ISU Four Continents Figure Skating Championships, ISU World Figure Skating Championships) can only be obtained in Senior International Competitions. Likewise, the required Minimum Total Elements Score for the Short Program/Rhythm Dance and the Free Skating/Free Dance segment to participate in the ISU World Junior Figure Skating Championships can only be obtained in International Junior Competitions.
The Minimum Technical Elements Score (not including Component Scores) is a Technical Score and must have been reached in an ISU recognized International Competition (as per Article 39, paragraph 7 of the ISU Constitution and Rule 107, paragraphs 1 to 10 of the ISU General Regulations) during the ongoing or preceding season in both segments, Short Program/Rhythm Dance and Free Skating/Free Dance (see ISU Special Regulations Single & Pair Skating Ice Dance, Rule 378, paragraph 3).
While the Minimum Technical Elements Score must be reached separately in each segment (not a total of the two segments), the Minimum Technical Elements Score for each segment may be reached at different competitions. The Minimum Technical Elements Score must be reached 21 (twenty-one) days before the first day (first official practice day) of the Championships concerned (same as entry deadline).
If it would become evident that the number of entries based on the Minimum Technical Elements Scores listed above would be significantly higher or lower than expected, the ISU Council reserves the right to adjust the Minimum Technical Elements Scores in order to achieve the above-mentioned objective.
ISU Members will be informed latest 45 days prior to the entry deadline of the respective Championships if the announced required minimum Technical Score will be adjusted or will remain as announced. In case of the continental Championships the announcement for both European and Four Continents Championships will be made 45 days prior to the entry deadline of the earlier Championships, in this case the European Championships.
13. Judges Draw for ISU Figure Skating Championships 2024
The Judges Draw for ISU Figure Skating Championships 2024 will be held on 09.30 a.m. on Thursday October 5, 2023 in Lausanne, Switzerland.
14. Recognition of new World Records Speed Skating
In accordance with Article 19, paragraph 2.f), the Council homologated the following World Records:
Junior Men 500m
34,08 Jordan Stolz USA Calgary, 17.12.2022
Junior Men 1000m
1.06,72 Jordan Stolz USA Calgary, 18.12.2022
Junior Men 1500m
1.42,26 Jordan Stolz USA Salt Lake City, 12.03.2023
Junior Men 5000m
6.17,67 Sigurd Henriksen NOR Heerenveen, 19.11.2022
6.13,84 Sigurd Henriksen NOR Calgary, 10.12.2022
Junior Men Allround Combination (500-1500 / 1000-5000 meters)
141,072 pts. Jordan Stolz USA Milwaukee, 5-7.01.2023
(34,40 – 1.43,36 / 1.07,12 - 6.26,59)
15. Recognition of new World Records Short Track Speed Skating
In accordance with Article 19, paragraph 2.f), the Council homologated the following World Records:
Women 500m
41,416 Xandra Velzeboer NED Salt Lake City, 04.11.2022
Women 1000m
1.25,958 Suzanne Schulting NED Salt Lake City, 04.11.2022
Junior Men 1000m
1.23,549 Donghyun Lee KOR Dresden, 29.01.2023
Junior Men 1500m
2.10,495 Michal Niewinski POL Dresden, 28.01.2023
Junior Men 3000m Relay
3.54,279 Korea KOR Dresden, 28.01.2023
(Lee Dogyu, Lee Donghyun, Lee Dongmin, Shin Dong Min)
16. ISU Vision 2030
The Council agreed with the ISU Vision 2030, focusing on Growth, Opportunity, Innovation, Safeguarding and Unity (GOISU). The ISU Vision 2030 serves as the ISU’s high-level strategic framework (phase 1). Detailed plans with clear priorities, timelines and required resources will be worked out leading up to the ISU Congress 2024 (phase 2). In particular, the Council has considered the outcome of more than 100 interviews with internal and external stakeholders, the 2022 ISU Member Survey and the 2023 ISU Member Conferences for shaping the framework. The ISU Vision 2030 will be presented at the ISU Online Update Meeting for ISU Members, Office Holders and the Secretariat on June 15, 2023, and published shortly on the ISU website.
17. Figure Skating Sports Technical Director
The Council acknowledged the resignation of the Figure Skating Sports Technical Director, Charlie Cyr, and recognized and appreciated his long and valuable contribution to Figure Skating. The Council agreed to review and find solutions for the immediate and medium-term tasks needing attention and to conduct an overall review of the Figure Skating Sports Technical Director function.
18. Accreditation for ISU World Championships for non-participating ISU Members
The Council decided that non-participating ISU Members may request an accreditation for ISU World Championships (senior) to stimulate their development and interaction with the ISU community, with the following conditions:
- An accreditation may be provided only for the President or General Secretary of an ISU Member.
- Only one accreditation per ISU Member per Championships will be provided. No accreditation will be provided for guests of the attending President or General Secretary.
- The President or General Secretary, or their respective ISU Member, is responsible for making all arrangements and covering all travel, board and lodging costs.
- Requests for accreditation must be sent at least by the entry deadline for each of the respective Championships to entries@isu.ch (Figure Skating Branch) or prahin@isu.ch (Speed Skating Branch).
19. Cooperation with All Terrain Skate Cross Federation
Further to recent contacts with the All Terrain Skate Cross Federation (ATSX), the Council noted the potential for future cooperation with ATSX and will further discuss the feasibility and extent of potential synergies and collaboration.
20. Next Council meeting
The Council decided to meet again as follows:
- October 6-8, 2023 in Lausanne, Switzerland
- March 13-14, 2024 in Rotterdam, the Netherlands prior to the ISU World Short Track Speed Skating Championships 2024
21. Other matters discussed
The Council also considered and discussed other items including, but not limited to, the following:
- the status of the recruitment of the new ISU Director General
- the status of preparations for the Winter Youth Olympic Games 2024 and the Olympic Winter Games 2026
- The ISU Long-term Growth Roadmap presentation by external collaborators
- based on evaluation reports received from the Event Director/Managers relating to the season 2022/23 ISU Events, the Council agreed on the importance of promotion and marketing plans to be included in bids for ISU Events in the future and to be implemented leading up to the Event
- the ISU Sustainability strategy
- commercial matters, including a presentation from one of the ISU commercial partners, IMG
- the progress on developing a new ISU website and 365 Social Media Strategy/playbook
- Reports and updates from ISU bodies and Working Groups, including:
-
Athletes Commission
-
Development Commission
-
Good Governance & Social Responsibility Working Group
-
Figure Skating Split Panels Working Group
-
OWG Qualification System Figure Skating Working Group
-
Age categories harmonization, Junior and below Working Group
-
Wealth Management Working Group
- a potential approach to facilitate music rights clearance
- potential use of AI in evaluating ISU Sports
- various sports-related, legal, marketing and media matters