59th ISU Congress: Agenda and Proposals
SYWTW FS
The 59th ISU Ordinary Congress will take place in Las Vegas, USA from June 8-14, 2024. ISU Members will discuss and vote on proposals regarding the ISU organization and rules of figure skating (as well as speed skating, short track, and synchronized skating).
The ISU Congress will be livestreamed on the Skating ISU Youtube channel.
Congress Agenda:
June 8-9: Council, Technical Committee Meetings
June 10: Congress, Workshops
June 11: Congress
June 12: Congress, Figure/Speed Skating Branch Sessions
June 13: Figure/Speed Skating Branch Sessions
June 14: Congress
Links:
ISU Communication 2629: Congress Agenda and Proposals
SUMMARY OF FIGURE SKATING PROPOSALS
Below is a summary of some notable proposals related to figure skating that will be discussed at the Congress. See Communication 2629 for a full list of proposals, as well as more details regarding their reasoning and the ISU Council’s recommendations.
Proposals require a 2/3rds supermajority to pass. Technical Rules require a 50% simple majority to pass.
Constitution & General Regulations:
Proposal 1 (pg. 8): ISU Council - Resolution to empower the ISU Council to undertake preparation of a new Constitutional framework of the ISU and to submit it for discussion and adoption by an Extraordinary ISU Congress in 2025.
Reason: The constitutional framework of the ISU dates back to 1892 and consists of the ISU Constitution and General Regulations. Since 1892, the ISU Constitution and General Regulations have been amended 58 times to address issues on a piecemeal basis, which has led to overloading the Constitution and General Regulations with detailed provisions, thereby destroying its shape as the constitutional framework of the basic governance of an association organized under Swiss law. For example, as it exists today, the ISU Constitution and General Regulations include many detailed sport rules and operations rules which are unrelated to the basic governance framework of the ISU and are more appropriately addressed in other parts of the ISU Statutes, policies, and guidelines.
Proposal 21 (pg. 18): USA - Create a Pairs Technical Committee separate from the Singles and Pairs Technical Committee that currently exists. (ISU Council is not in favor due to financial reasons.)
Proposal 27 (pg. 21): Canada - The Technical Committees must publish the following season’s technical requirements by April 15, to give coaches and skaters time to prepare new programs. (ISU Council is not in favor of piecemeal changes to the Constitution per Proposal 1, but will consider establishing dates for rule publication when formulating their new Constitution.)
Proposal 45 (pg. 27): ISU Council - Change maximum age limits for junior pair skaters to less than 21 for women, and less than 23 for men. Change maximum age limits for junior ice dancers to less than 21 for both partners. (Current age limits in both disciplines are less than 19 for women, and less than 21 for men.) A maximum age gap of 7 years would be allowed between partners in both disciplines. Increase age limits for novice competitors (see below).
Rule 108, paragraph 3:
b) In International Junior Competitions and ISU Junior Championships a Junior is a Skater who has met the following requirements before July 1 preceding the event:
i) has reached at least the age of thirteen;
ii) has not reached the age of nineteen for Women and Men in singles competition; and
iii) has not reached the age of nineteen twenty one for Women and the age of twenty-one twenty-three for Men in Pair Skating. A maximum age gap of 7 years is allowed between the two partners.
iv) has not reached the age of nineteen twenty-one for Women and the age of twenty-one for Men in Pair Skating and Ice Dance competition. A maximum age gap of 7 years is allowed between the two partners.
c) In International Novice Competitions a Novice is a Skater who has met the following requirements before July 1 preceding the competition:
i) Basic Novice – has not reached the age of thirteen fourteen;
ii) Intermediate Novice – has not reached the age of fifteen sixteen;
iii) Advanced Novice – has reached the age of ten and has not reached the age of fifteen sixteen for girls (Singles/Pairs Skating/Ice Dance) and boys (Singles) and seventeen eighteen for boys (Pair Skating/Ice Dance).
Proposal 47 (pg. 29): USA - Change minimum age limit of senior women in pair skating from 17 to 16. (ISU Council is not in favor, and prefers their own Proposal 45).
Proposals 48 & 49 (pg. 30): Canada - Change maximum age limit of junior ice dancers to less than 21 for both partners. Change maximum age limit of junior pairs skaters to less than 23 for both partners. (ISU Council is in favor, but prefers their own Proposal 45.)
Proposal 50 (pg. 30): Canada - Require skaters to submit “proper documentation” to obtain release from their federation. (ISU Council not in favor, believes current rules are sufficient.)
Rule 109 paragraph 2. c)
A Skater who has competed in any ISU Championships, ISU Event and/or International Competition for any ISU Member and who intends to compete in the future for another ISU Member needs a permit from the last ISU Member he previously represented, which permit shall not unreasonably be denied. In addition, such Skater may compete for the respective ISU Member in International Competitions, ISU Events and ISU Championships only after a waiting period of twelve months since the Skater competed for any other ISU Member in any such competition has elapsed.
A Skater who has competed for an ISU member in an ISU Championship, ISU Event, or International Competition and intends to compete for another ISU Member requires a permit from the last ISU Member the Skater represented. This permit must be issued upon receipt of proper documentation and will be effective following a waiting period of one full season since the Skater represented that ISU member internationally.
Proposal 55 (pg. 32): Austria - Forbid ISU officials from performing as judges during their period in office. (ISU Council is in favor, but thinks that the rule should be incorporated into the ISU’s Code of Ethics instead of the Constitution.)
Rule 121, paragraph 3.l) new
l) ISU Member Presidents, Vice-Presidents, Directors General, General Secretaries, CEOs, Executive Directors, Sport Directors or equivalent, shall not officiate as a Judge at any ISU Championships, any ISU Senior Grand Prix event, ISU Grand Prix Final Junior and Senior, Winter Youth Olympic Games, or Olympic Winter Games during the entire time of his or her elected/appointed period of service.
Special Regulations, Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance:
Proposal 177 (pg. 75): Japan - Events should not begin before 9.00 a.m. and should be planned to finish by 10:00 p.m. (Previously 11:00PM)
Proposal 182 (pg. 76): Netherlands - Remove the -1.0 point deduction for falls. For falls that occur on an element, the base value of the element would be reduced by 50%.
Technical Rules, Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance:
Proposal 227 (pg. 95): Amend definitions of Program Component Scores:
Composition: Remove “Connections between and within elements” and “Pattern and ice coverage”
Presentation: Remove “Unison”
Skating Skills: Add “Unison” for pairs and ice dance
Proposal 230 (pg. 96): Remove the order draw for free skates at ISU competitions. The starting order of the free skates will be in reverse order of the rankings after the short program.
Proposal 234 (pg. 100): The Euler will no longer be a listed jump, and will have no base value.
An Euler (half-loop) is considered a non-listed jump, it will have no value when used in a jump combination between two listed jumps becomes and it will not be counted in the number of the allowed jumps of the concerned jump combination with the value indicated in the Scale of Value. An Euler jump cannot be included in the jump combination of the Short Program. An Euler (half-loop) can only be executed once in Free Skating.
Proposal 235 (pg. 100): A jump sequence can have up to 3 jumps in singles skating, but only 2 jumps in pairs skating. An Euler is allowed in the jump sequence.
A jump sequence consists of two or three jumps in Single Skating or two jumps in Pair Skating of any number of revolutions in which the second and/or the third jump is an Axel type jump with a direct step from the landing curve of the first/second jump into the take-off curve of the Axel jump. […] An Euler (half-loop) is considered a non-listed jump, it will have no value when used in a jump sequence between two listed jumps becomes and it will not be counted in the number of the allowed jumps of the concerned jump sequence with the value indicated in the Scale of Value. After the execution of an Euler (half- loop) no change of foot is allowed. An Euler (half-loop) can only be executed once in Free Skating.
Proposal 236 (pg. 100): Somersault-type jumps such as backflips would no longer be illegal moves.
Proposal 239 (pg. 102): Reduce the number of jumping passes in the singles free skate from 7 to 6. Replace one leveled spin in the singles free skate with a choreographic spin.
A well-balanced Free Skating program for Men/Women must contain:
maximum of seven six jump elements (one of which must be an Axel type jump);
maximum of three spins, one of which must be a spin combination, one a flying spin or a spin with a flying entrance and one a spin with only one position and one choreographic spin;
maximum of one step sequence; [Seniors only]
maximum of one choreographic sequence.
Proposal 240 (pg. 103): Reduce the number of jump combinations/sequences in the singles free skate from 3 to 2.
A jump combination and a jump sequence may consist of the same or another single, double, triple or quadruple jump. There may be up to three two jump combinations or two one jump combinations without using an Euler (half-loop) and one jump sequence in the Free Skating. One jump combination or one jump sequence may consist of up to three jumps, the other two one of up to two jumps each. An Euler (half-loop) can only be executed once in Free Skating.
Proposal 241 (pg. 103): The same type of jump cannot be included more than 3 times in the singles free skate, regardless of number of revolutions (eg. Including 3T, 3T, and 2T would cause the last toe loop to be invalid.) Additionally, define choreographic spin.
The same type of jump independent of the number of revolutions can be included not more than three times in the Free Skating program.
[…]
A Choreographic Spin is a spin which enhances the choreography of the program and matches the music. Choreographic Spin must have minimum 3 revolutions executed on a blade, with any basic or non-basic positions allowed. Change of foot is optional and can be done several times during the spin. If the Choreographic Spin cannot be identified by the Technical panel, the third performed spin will be considered as the Choreographic Spin (Choreographic Spin confirmed). This element has a fixed base value and will be evaluated by the judges in GOE only.
Proposal 242 (pg. 104): Twist lifts in pairs no longer required to land on a backward outside edge.
Proposal 245 (pg. 106): In the pairs free skate - Replace one leveled lift with a choreographic lift (seniors only). Replace the leveled pair spin with a choreographic pair spin. Remove the choreographic sequence.
Proposal 246 (pg. 106): Define choreographic pair spin and choreographic lift as follows:
A Choreographic Lift is a lift which enhances the choreography of the program and matches the music. Choreographic Lift must be ascending and descending whilst moving across the ice surface. It must have a minimum of 1 rotation. The Choreographic Lift does not have any limitations regarding the hold on entry or at any point during the lift. The lifting partner must have straight or almost straight arm(s) at some point during the lift. If the Choreographic Lift is not identifiable to the panel, the last performed lift will be taken as the Choreographic Lift (Choreographic Lift confirmed). This element has a fixed base value and will be evaluated by the judges in GOE only.
A Choreographic Pair Spin is a spin which enhances the choreography of the program and matches the music. A Choreographic Pair Spin must have a minimum of 3 revolutions executed on a blade at least by one partner, with any basic or non-basic positions allowed. Change of foot is optional and can be done several times during the spin. Lifting of partners is optional but should not consist of any lifting movement with full extension of the arm(s) if the lifted position is higher than a shoulder level. The Technical Panel identifies the Choreographic Pair Spin and will be confirmed once the 3 revolutions have been completed. This element has a fixed base value and will be evaluated by the judges in GOE only.
Proposal 251 (pg. 108): Define the minimum duration of an ice dance lift to be 3 seconds. Remove definitions of the duration for short lifts and combination lifts; these will be defined in each season’s technical communications going forward. (Note: The 2024-2025 Ice Dance Technical Rules increased the maximum duration of a short lift from 7 to 8 seconds, and a combination lift from 12 to 13 seconds.)