International Skating Union proposes raising minimum competition age to 17
- Published
Valieva's agony was played out in front of the world
The International Skating Union has proposed raising the minimum age for senior figure skating competitions to 17 from 15.
The move would take effect before the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
The aim is to help young athletes cope with the physical and psychological demands of the sport.
It comes after the issues surrounding the then 15-year-old Russian Kamila Valieva at the Beijing Winter Olympics in February.
Valieva failed a drugs test in December 2021 but the positive result was only reported after she helped Russia win team gold in China.
A court ruling lifted her provisional ban following a series of appeals, enabling her to compete in the women's individual event.
In that competition, she made several errors and fell out of medal contention, finishing fourth and leaving the ice in tears amid distressing scenes.
The proposal is up for discussion at the sport's congress in Thailand next month.
It would gradually increase the minimum age over the next three years before the next Winter Games in Milan and Cortina.
The ISU medical council said young athletes were exposed to high physiological loads caused by training and competitions.
"It is conceivable that allowing underage athletes to compete may subject them to loads and risks that are thought to be inappropriate for their age," it said in the proposal.
"Not only physically, but in terms of the psychological and social development of the child, junior athletes need to cope with multiple stressors on their pathways towards elite sport."
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