The International Skating Union (ISU) Council Meeting, held for the first time at the ISU’s new Headquarters in Lausanne (SUI), concluded with a series of key decisions aimed at further driving innovation and global growth for ice skating sports. Over the two-day meeting, the Council reaffirmed its commitment to ISU Vision 2030, the organization’s strategic transformation plan, with skaters remaining at the heart of all major decisions as the skating community looks ahead to the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026.

ISU Council Meeting at the ISU's new offices in Lausanne, Switzerland, on September 28 and 29, 2025. © ISU

Reflecting on the Council Meeting, ISU President Jae Youl Kim said: “The Council’s decisions over the past two days demonstrate that we are delivering on our promise to put skaters at the centre of everything we do. We have made meaningful progress toward the clear objectives set out in Vision 2030, our strategic plan - including increased prize money, pioneering measures to protect athletes from online harassment, and an expanded rollout of our Calm Zone initiatives. This is Vision 2030 in action. As our athletes prepare for Milano Cortina 2026, we remain committed to modernizing and strengthening our sport, while never losing sight of our core mission: serving our skaters and building the future of skating.”

Overview of key decisions: 

World Record Bonuses and Prize Money in Speed Skating and Short Track 

• In line with its objective to strengthen athlete recognition, the ISU Council approved a proposal to enhance prize money awards for World Records in both Speed Skating and Short Track.
• The following recompense, effective from the 2025/26 season, will be introduced:
  • Junior World Records: Recognition with a World Record Ring (as implemented in season 2024/25).
  • Senior World Records: Recognition with both a World Record Ring and bonuses as follows:
    • Individual World Record Speed Skating: USD 5,000 per athlete
    • Team Pursuit & Team Sprint Speed Skating: USD 15,000 per team (USD 5’000 per athlete)
    • Mixed Relay Speed Skating: USD 10,000 per team (USD 5’000 per athlete)
    • Individual World Record Short Track: USD 5,000 per athlete
    • Gender Relay Short Track: USD 20,000 per team (USD 5’000 per athlete)
    • Mixed Relay Short Track: USD 20,000 per team (USD 5’000 per athlete)
• This commitment is a core part of ISU Vision 2030 to improve athletes’ visibility and support, which was highlighted by ISU President Jae Youl Kim during the ISU 2024 Congress.
• President Kim further reaffirmed his commitment to significantly increasing prize money across all ISU sports and competitions. Backed by the ISU Council, a comprehensive proposal will be presented to the ISU Congress in June 2026 for approval. If adopted, the enhanced prize money structure will take effect from the following season.

Uniform Branding Regulations – Speed Skating & Short Track

• The ISU Council decided to remove the limitation on the number of logos permitted on Speed Skating and Short Track racing uniforms, while maintaining an overall maximum surface area. The overall surface area will increase to 750 cm² for Short Track, aligned with the Short Track World Tour allowance, with the protection of sensitive areas (front/back) remaining in force. This adjustment provides Members with greater opportunities by allowing increased flexibility and visibility on uniforms.
• This amendment will enter into force as of the 2026/27 season and will be incorporated into the Competition & Event Regulations. Olympic restrictions remain applicable and are not affected by this decision. The updated wording will be circulated shortly.

Development Contributions to ISU Members

• The ISU Council agreed to a Development fund contribution to ISU Members in excess of 3.75M USD for the 2025/26 season. 
• For the second successive year, the contribution includes 0.7M USD specifically ringfenced for initiatives related to athlete Safeguarding.  The ISU has already seen significant progress in the actions of its Members to strengthen their safeguarding processes – in its first year, the contribution saw an increase of more than a third of Members implementing Safeguarding Policies and Procedures.

Athlete Safeguarding: Protecting athletes on social media

• Following a successful first trial at the World Figure Skating Championships 2025 in Boston, the ISU will further l roll-out a social media monitoring and moderation program in the 2025/26 season.
• The program will offer athletes, on a voluntary basis, protection from online abuse or harassment through their personal social media accounts.  In parallel, the ISU will monitor other accounts with the goal of identifying online abuse and offering support to victims of such abuse. 
• Based on a detailed risk assessment, 30 - 40 athletes will benefit from real-time comment moderation (with immediate removal of abusive content), while up to 80 athletes and accounts will be subject to twice-daily monitoring.
• The ISU is committed to protecting its most vulnerable athletes – and female athletes in particular - of all nationalities from online abuse and harassment.

Calm Zone: Implementation plan

• The ISU Council approved the 2025/26 implementation plan for the Calm Zone initiative, designed to offer competing skaters a dedicated safe calm space away from the stress of the competition to recharge mentally. At major events, athletes will have access to creative activities, games, mindfulness tools, and the support of mental health professionals - and, where possible, therapy dogs - underscoring the ISU’s commitment to prioritizing athlete wellbeing.

Ukraine: Additional financial support 

• Demonstrating ongoing support for athletes facing challenging training circumstances, the ISU Council approved continuing financial assistance for Ukrainian skaters training abroad and competing at ISU events, extending USD 85,000 for the 2025/26 season. 

ISU Environmental Sustainability Working Group: Appointment of new Athlete Members 

• As part of the ISU’s commitment to hearing athletes’ voices and acknowledging that many athletes have a strong commitment to and interest in environmental matters, the ISU Council invited four athlete members to join the ISU Environmental Sustainability Working Group.  
• The four athletes include Olympic Champions Nathan Chen (USA) and Esmee Visser (NED) as well as current competitor Deniss Vasiljevs (LAT) and co-founder of the Figure Skating Diversity and Inclusion Alliance (FSDIA) Elladj Baldé (CAN). These athletes will contribute with their input to inspire environmental and social responsible practices throughout the skating community, and in particular younger generations. 

ISU Single & Pair Technical Committee: Appointment of former Pair Skater and Olympian Brandon Frazier (USA)

• The ISU Council has appointed Brandon Frazier (USA), internationally renowned former Pair Skater and Olympian, to the ISU Single & Pair Skating Technical Committee. This appointment underscores the ISU’s commitment to placing athletes at the centre of its governance processes, in line with the “Unity” pillar of ISU Vision 2030.

Milano Cortina 2026:  ISU “Home of Skating” 

• The ISU Council received a comprehensive update on the "Home of Skating" activation for Milano Cortina 2026 – the ISU’s official base of operations, hospitality, and brand showcase during the 2026 Winter Olympic Games. 
• Embodying the new ISU brand identity, this dedicated location will serve as the central hub for ISU activities, bringing together the skating community, partners, sponsors, athlete entourages, and media in one vibrant Olympic meeting point.

Junior Grand Prix Series 2026/27: Hosts Announcement

• The ISU Council approved the allocation of Junior Grand Prix (JGP) Series events for the 2026/27 season, with seven events scheduled across the globe according to the following agenda (with Pairs events spread throughout the Series): 
  • August 19-22, 2026:  Xi’An City, CHN (including Pairs) 
  • August 26-29, 2026:  Riga, LAT(including Pairs)
  • September 2-5, 2026: Bangkok, THA 
  • September 16-19, 2026: Ankara, TUR (including Pairs)
  • September 23-26, 2026: Batumi, GEO 
  • September 30-October 3, 2026: Ljubljana, SLO 
  • October 7-10, 2026: Gdansk, POL (including Pairs)
• The JGP series remains a critical competition series which provides opportunities for the next generation of skating stars to develop their skills on the international stage.

Development of Figure Skating in Latin America

• The ISU Council received an update on the new Figure Skating Development Plan for Latin America. The program, launched in July, will be implemented over a four-year period.

New Hosting Model 

• The ISU Council reviewed the rollout of its new “Event Hosting Bidding” model, launched in early September. This framework applies to events from the 2027/28 season through 2031/32.
• The model aims to streamline the bidding process and ensure more consistent, transparent collaboration between the ISU, Member Federations, and potential host cities. To achieve this, it introduces clear tools and timelines for host selection, including webinars, dedicated communication channels, and comprehensive application guidance packages.

New Racing Rules for Speed Skating Mass Start 

• New racing rules (Rule 257, para. 4.4.) for Speed Skating Mass Start will be communicated shortly through an ISU Communication.

Full ISU Membership for Colombia 

• After discussion the ISU Council decided to grant full ISU membership for the Speed Skating Branch to the Colombian Skating Federation. 

Looking Forward

With Vision 2030 as its strategic roadmap for growth, the ISU moves forward on its modernization path, ensuring skating sports continue to be dynamic, accessible, and inspiring for future generations.

The next ISU Council Meeting, scheduled towards the end of the year, will build on these decisions and sustain the momentum toward the transformative goals that define the ISU’s long-term strategy.