(Reuters) – The International Skating Union (*17*) on Tuesday voted to step by step raise the minimum competitors age for senior determine skating competitions from 15 to 17.
The choice, voted on on the ISU (*17*) in Phuket, Thailand, comes after Russian determine skater Kamila Valieva examined optimistic for a banned substance whereas on the Beijing Winter Olympics in February, when she was 15.
Valieva’s case prompted questions over whether or not the minimum age for opponents in determine skating wanted to be raised to shield minors.
“The ISU (*17*) voted in favour of step by step rising the age restrict from 15 to 17 years for the sake of defending the bodily and psychological well being, and emotional well-being of skaters,” the ISU wrote on Twitter.
“There might be no change for the season 2022/23, a rise to 16 years for the season 2023/24 and a rise to 17 years for the season 2024/25 and subsequent seasons.”
The choice was not unanimous, with 100 nations voting in favour and 16 towards. A two thirds majority, 79 votes, was required for the movement to be handed.
Valieva, who turned 16 in April, had failed a doping check on the Russian nationwide championships final December however the consequence was solely revealed on Feb. 8, a day after she had helped the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) win the group occasion on the Beijing Games.
She was cleared to compete within the ladies’s singles occasion in Beijing by the Court of Arbitration for Sport, however stumbled to fourth place with an error-laden free skate.
“The lifetime of an athlete is brief and intense, their expertise on this brief part units the platform for the remainder of their lives — bodily, spiritually emotionally,” Canadian skater and ISU Athletes Commission member Eric Radford mentioned.
“While I hear the considerations of sure nations in regards to the speedy problem that they could face with this proposal being handed … is a medal actually definitely worth the lifetime of a younger athlete?”
(Reporting by Aadi Nair in Bengaluru; Editing by Andrew Heavens and Ed Osmond)
