According to Anuliisa Uotila, the case of Kamila Valijeva forced the International Skating Federation to set the age limit for adult competitions at 17 years. The wildest jumping performances in figure skating may have come to an end.
In Beijing, he was allowed to take part in the competition despite his haste. According to the International Court of Appeal for Sport (CAS), preventing an athlete from competing would have caused him irreversible harm. It was also argued that Valijeva was a protected person at the World Anti-Doping Agency, Wada, because she was under 16 years old.
The coach of Valijeva also provoked a stir Ether Etherberidzen rude behavior towards his athlete. Valijeva was subjected to an exceptionally large spin at a young age.
Indeed, raising the age limit in a vote in Phuket, Thailand, on Tuesday garnered widespread support: 100 countries voted in favor of the measure, with only 16 opponents.
Sporting figure skating expert and commentator Anuliisa Uotila to welcome the new minimum age. Uotila says child stardom has been a problem in figure skating for a long time. The case of Valijeva was the tip of an iceberg.
– At the latest in the case of Valijeva, it became clear to everyone that something had to be done. The fact that figure skating makes such a solution is justified in many ways. I think the issue should be addressed more broadly in sport.
No other options
Uotila reminds that for juvenile skaters there are, among other things, the Junior World Championships and the Youth Olympics.
– That’s why I don’t think there’s any reason to keep children in adult series.
Among the domestic species influencers, for example, Uotila and Kiira Korpi still believed in the winter that the age limits would not come into force in the near future. Director General of the Skating Association Fredi Schmid admitted that the association had received enormous pressure from the media to take the matter to court.
– It seems that the decision-makers had no choice. I used to estimate that the decision would be stuck in something in the organization, but that was not the case. I could imagine that there are people at ISU who have been pushing for a decision in the past. I think they have done their best to get the decision through, Uotila says.
Uotila says that especially in women’s figure skating, coaching has long become more comprehensive. At the same time, there is a danger that the rest of the lives of young figure skaters will be forgotten.
– In countries with such a state-run coaching system, there is growing concern about children’s coping. I think Valijeva’s case was the last gate. It went right head up the wall until everyone woke up.
What do you want to see in figure skating?
Raising the age limit to 17 is a significant act, but Uotila wants the international sport community to look far ahead. Uotila, who has been involved in the sport for a long time, hopes that the tough skill requirements of figure skating will be re-evaluated.
The importance of jumps has become more and more emphasized all the time. Demanding quadruple jumps have been introduced in the free program. At the same time, the risk of injury has increased.
– You have to think about what kind of program content is set for which age group. In order to be able to participate in the competitions for both adults and juniors, a rather demanding jumping repertoire must be mastered. If such physical, mental and human coaching is to be promoted, the requirements must be such that coaching can adapt and not rush.
Thus, skating that requires acrobatic skill has long been emphasized in figure skating. Uotila reminds that the genre also includes other aspects, such as expression, music, interpretation, and other artistic aspects.
– Now it’s time to think about what you want to see in figure skating. The road where acrobatics has been taken to the very top has already gone. We watch 7-8 jumps in four minutes. Could you see something else?
– Athletes should be given the opportunity to influence their own sport more. Very strict technical requirements do not necessarily promote the species. Its progress should come from young people and athletes. That is, fewer jumps and more.