The International Skating Federation is in a great hurry to find a new organizer for the European Figure Skating Championships, when Hungary will not even organize next year’s January Games.
The European Figure Skating Championships were supposed to be held in January of next year in Budapest. However, the Hungarian Figure Skating Federation unexpectedly announced on Thursday that the Games cannot be held in Hungary. The European Championships were supposed to be skated in Budapest from 22 to 28. January.
– This kind of news at this stage hit the entire figure skating crowd with a squeal. It’s May and the Games are only eight months away. The information came at a very late stage, Urheilu’s expert Mika Saarelainen comment.
Hungary’s decision is based on the general world situation. Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine has made life difficult throughout Europe.
– The Hungarian Figure Skating Federation announces that the imminent war, rising prices and other financial difficulties have forced them to this decision. There are certainly internal issues in the background, but the matter has been officially reported in this way, Saarelainen explained.
A race against time
The International Skating Union (ISU) is now in a great hurry to find a new venue.
– I would say that they are really panicking now. The corona years already caused the games to be cancelled. As far as I remember, I haven’t been in a situation like this for a long time, Saarelainen thought.
– It is without a doubt clear that the European Championships are wanted to be organized. But who organizes the competitions now? Now there will certainly be an emergency cry going out to the member countries about who will come to the rescue.
This year’s European Championship was held in Espoo. Saarelainen estimates that Finland does not have the conditions to host the Games. Finland will probably also receive a survey from the International Skating Union about its readiness for the European Championships.
– I think that the message goes especially to the countries that have recently organized value competitions. So the message also comes to us in Finland, but Finland is not able to organize the games on this schedule. It is not realistic, Saarelainen stated.
– I hope that there would be countries that would be able to hold the games even with a slightly smaller capacity and resources. The most important thing is that the athletes get to skate at the European Championships.
Saarelainen doesn’t want to predict what kind of schedule will be used to make decisions about the upcoming European Championships.