Figure Skaters Must be 17 to Skate in the 2026 Olympics
2022-06-09
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1The governing body of figure skating has raised the age limit for international competitions to 17.
2The decision followed a heated dispute surrounding Russian skater Kamila Valieva at the Beijing Olympics.
3The International Skating Union (ISU) voted 110-16 to raise the age limit to 17 before the next Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy.
4The change will be phased in with 15-year-olds being permitted to compete for this season and 16 the following season.
5ISU president Jan Dijkema called the decision "historic."
6And the organization said it wants to protect the "physical and mental health, and emotional well-being of the skaters."
7The change in age limit was coming even before the pressure on 15-year-old Kamila Valieva at this year's Olympics.
8She had a good chance to win an individual gold medal after helping the Russians win the team competition.
9After the team competition, news came out that Valieva had tested positive for an illegal drug at the end of 2021.
10But she was permitted to compete in the individual competition.
11She finished in fourth place but was criticized by the Russian coach, Eteri Tutberidze, at the end of her skating program.
12The new age limit could hurt the career of 14-year-old Sofia Akateva, the top young Russian skater.
13She turns 15 too late to be able to compete this season.
14But she will be 18 at the next Winter Olympics in 2026.
15The decision was criticized in Russia, where skaters are currently banned from international competitions following the invasion of Ukraine.
16Dmitri Soloviev won a gold medal as a part of the Russian team in 2014.
17He told a Russian broadcaster the change was made "so that our Russian female skaters couldn't have the opportunity to win world championship, European, Olympic medals."
18"But in my opinion, Eteri Tutberidze will find a way to get our athletes into ideal condition at the age of 17 or 18," Soloviev added,
19"so that they can show their best results at international competitions..."
20I'm Faith Pirlo.
1The governing body of figure skating has raised the age limit for international competitions to 17. The decision followed a heated dispute surrounding Russian skater Kamila Valieva at the Beijing Olympics. 2The International Skating Union (ISU) voted 110-16 to raise the age limit to 17 before the next Winter Olympics in Milan-Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. The change will be phased in with 15-year-olds being permitted to compete for this season and 16 the following season. 3ISU president Jan Dijkema called the decision "historic." And the organization said it wants to protect the "physical and mental health, and emotional well-being of the skaters." 4The change in age limit was coming even before the pressure on 15-year-old Kamila Valieva at this year's Olympics. She had a good chance to win an individual gold medal after helping the Russians win the team competition. 5After the team competition, news came out that Valieva had tested positive for an illegal drug at the end of 2021. But she was permitted to compete in the individual competition. She finished in fourth place but was criticized by the Russian coach, Eteri Tutberidze, at the end of her skating program. 6The new age limit could hurt the career of 14-year-old Sofia Akateva, the top young Russian skater. She turns 15 too late to be able to compete this season. But she will be 18 at the next Winter Olympics in 2026. 7The decision was criticized in Russia, where skaters are currently banned from international competitions following the invasion of Ukraine. 8Dmitri Soloviev won a gold medal as a part of the Russian team in 2014. He told a Russian broadcaster the change was made "so that our Russian female skaters couldn't have the opportunity to win world championship, European, Olympic medals." 9"But in my opinion, Eteri Tutberidze will find a way to get our athletes into ideal condition at the age of 17 or 18," Soloviev added, "so that they can show their best results at international competitions..." 10I'm Faith Pirlo. 11Dan Friedell adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by The Associated Press. 12Write to us in the Comments Section and visit our Facebook page. 13Words in This Story 14phase- v. to do something slowly over a period of time 15positive - adj. showing the presence of a germ or something being tested for 16opportunity- n. the chance to do something 17ideal- adj. the best, the strongest or exactly right