The ISU Council called for a gradual increase in the age minimum in figure skating
According to Match TV the ISU Council called for a gradual increase in the age minimum in figure skating.
The ISU has submitted a proposal to the 2022 congress about gradual raise of the age minimum in figure skating. This is stated in the preliminary agenda of the congress, which was at the disposal of Match TV.
This proposal was formed on the basis of data received from the ISU Medical Commission on this issue. The Council proposes that age minimum to compete in seniors in all disciplines remain unchanged (15 years old) for the next season and start it from the 2023/24 season raise it to 16 years old, and from the 2024/25 season to 17 years old.
“The ISU Council has concluded that the most necessary change in order to protect physical and mental health is to gradually increase the age minimum from 15 to 17 years of age. This gradual roll-out will allow skaters to adapt to the new restrictions and avoid having skaters who have already competed at the senior level forced to return to juniors.”
“The ISU Council took note of the results of the Athletes Commission Survey conducted from December 2020 to January 2021, in which 86.2% of respondents supported an increase of the age minimum”, the Council’s proposal reads in the explanatory part.
“Competition, training, and recovery depend not only on chronological age, but also on developmental age (physical, mental, cognitive, and emotional maturity) and skeletal age (degree of ossification of the bone structure). When revising the qualification, both of these ages must be taken into account. It is possible that the admission of underage athletes to (senior) competitions may expose them to stresses and risks that are considered inappropriate for their age, not only physically, but also in terms of the psychological and social development of the child,” the report says.
Earlier, Norway came up with the initiative to raise the age minimum in figure skating (in single disciplines – from 17 years old, in doubles – from 16 years old). Its proposal is also on the agenda of the congress, but the ISU board’s initiative has a much higher status, as it is based on internal polls and data from the medical commission.
source: matchtv.ru
Wow,a n official news about the age minimum ! I’m glad to here that they are considering raising it.