Olympics IJS Recap

Yu Na KIM lived up to expectations and her PSA coach Brian Orser finally won his well deserved, Olympic Gold Medal. Americans Mirai and Rachell and their coaches Frank and Tom Z. should feel extremely proud. There was a lot of pressure in that Olympic arena. For goodness sake even the PA announcer said the global TV audience was more than 450 million people. Inside the PAC arena I counted 18 former Olympic Champions that I could see from my seat. The Mayor of Vancouver was sitting less than 10 feet away and there were heads of state, celebrities, and a very boisterous Canadian crowd. It was so exciting when the last flight of ladies took to the ice for their 6 minute warm up. Every athlete in that last group living their Olympic dream were fully prepared for all the pressures and distractions that go with that big of a dream. And they all went out there and skated their hearts out on one of the biggest sporting stages in the world. Well done athletes, and THANK YOU.

For me these Olympics were a vindication of IJS. I don’t think the 6.0 System could of accurately measured the depth of talent in these Olympics as IJS has done. There is a saying in business that goes, ‘you cannot manage what you cannot measure.’ Figure skating is a sport that must be measured as accurately as possible and managed as best as possible. Every official at these Games knew there was more accountability for their actions here in Vancouver. And the people who manage figure skating actually had tools to use to do their jobs better.

When I was first asked (in 2003) to serve and volunteer as an official for the “new ISU judging system” I had several reservations. Back then the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was seriously considering removing figure skating from the Olympics. Many people ignored this warning or wrote it off as an idle threat. But I was truly scared when I heard IOC President Jocque Rouge say back in 2003, (paraphrased) ‘Figure skating needs to decide if it belongs in the arena or the museum”
Based on the feedback we got from skater, officials, judges and coaches, IJS worked well. We do belong in the Olympics.

I understand there are still a lot of critics of IJS. Maybe IJS is not the perfect solution for figure skating, but it certainly is not destroying our sport and after spending 3 weeks at the 21st Olympics I can honestly say using 21st century technology IJS provided a well managed and accurately measured Olympic sport.

Well done, IJS.