Press Release regarding the Formation of the Athlete's Commission

Editor's note

Flyers with this press release were being distributed during the ladies' free skate competition at the 2003 World Championships, on March 29, 2003. I received my copy from Scott Wendland.

Text of the press release

On March 29, 2003, the athletes held a meeting at the Metro Marriott Hotel, in Washington D.C. The outcome of this meeting, open to all international athletes in attendance at the World Championships, was the formation of an athlete-based organization. We are now in the formulation stage of putting together an athlete's commission to have a voice and a vote in figure skating worldwide.

We have discussed and voted on seven different issues that we would like to see implemented within the figure skating organization. Each of these items was passed with a unanimous vote.

The issues are:

  1. We moved to form a commission of athletes.

  2. We are vehemently against anonymous judging, feeling that all judges should be held accountable for the marks that they give at that time.

  3. We want an athlete representative on the ISU council and technical committees and all other committees with not only a voice, but voting power.

  4. We want to revise the sanctions and eligibility rules -- opening up the eligibility rules in the ISU and member federations.

  5. We want urgent action by the ISU to enforce ISU rule 366 section 4, revealing judges' total marks for all events retroactive to the beginning of the 2002/2003 competitive season.

    "Protocols of single and pairs skating competitions must indicate for each competitor/pair marks and total points obtained from each judge in each part of the competition, calculating matrixes and the final result;" ISU rule 366 #4

  6. We want harsher penalties for judges who are found to have corrupted an event with unethical behavior, including lifetime bans with a zero-tolerance policy. We would also like a clause included protecting "whistle-blowers."

  7. This commission will hold meetings at all Grand Prix events, the World Championships as well as all other major international competitions.

As athletes, we feel strongly that the sport of figure skating will benefit greatly from the formation of this commission and are very excited about the future of our sport.

Signed,
The International Athlete's Commission

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