By Phil HershIn a ham-handed attempt to exert its power, the International Skating Union has threatened Olympic bronze medalist Joannie Rochette of Canada with loss of eligibility if she skates an exhibition tribute to her mother during a made-for-TV competition Thursday in Connecticut.
Rochette's skating captured the hearts of everyone who saw it at the 2010 Olympics, where she earned the medal just four days after her mother, Therese, died unexpectedly of a heart attack. She performed the tribute to her mother, skating to a Celine Dion song that was one of Therese Rochette's favorites, at the exhibition gala following the Olympic competition in Vancouver, Canada.
According to Tribune sources, when the ISU learned Rochette planned to skate the tribute again as part of "Thin Ice,"' an event that does not have the international federation's sanction, it reminded Rochette that she and Skate Canada would run afoul of ISU rules 102 and 136 if she did the exhibition.
Photo: Joannie Rochette blows kisses to the crowd after performing at the Vancouver Olympics. (George Bridges/MCT)
(This is the same ISU that cannot count to three and allowed three Chinese pairs teams to compete at last week's World Junior Championships when China had earned only two places. The ISU now may be forced to revise results of the competition. ISU director general Fredi Schmid said Monday that a "clerical error" was responsible for the presence of the third Chinese pair and that the situation was under review.)
Rule 102 makes a skater ineligible by participating in an event without prior authorization from his or her national federation (Skate Canada) or by participating in a non-sanctioned event. "Thin Ice does not have a sanction.
Rule 136 threatens member federations with sanctions for not insisting skaters give first priority to ISU events with TV contracts -- in this case, the World Championships that begin March 22 in Turin, Italy. This is the same rule the ISU invoked when it vainly tried to force eventual Olympic champion Kim Yuna of South Korea to compete at the Four Continents Championship in late January.
Rochette asked for but had not yet received permission from Skate Canada to skate at "Thin Ice" (which airs Friday and Sunday) before the event promoter announced she would be in the show. She was hoping to discuss the matter Monday with ISU officials.
ISU director general Schmid said it was up to Skate Canada to decide whether to allow Rochette to perform the exhibition.
"This is an internal decision of Skate Canada, and I do not know why they made it,'' Schmid said Monday.
Schmid said the national federation would have to determine whether Rochette's doing the exhibition posed a conflict with her participation at worlds. He added that Skate Canada has not yet entered her for worlds.
Attempts to reach Skate Canada chief executive William Thompson Monday were unsuccessful.
But, according to people familiar with the situation, the ISU has decided to let her do the exhibition with the quid pro quo that she skate at World Championships, but Rochette has yet to decide whether she wants to compete in the championships. Were she to skate the exhibition and then withdraw from the championships, the ISU could demand medical evidence to justify the withdrawal.
Rule 102 makes a skater ineligible by participating in an event without prior authorization from his or her national federation (Skate Canada) or by participating in a non-sanctioned event. "Thin Ice does not have a sanction.
Rule 136 threatens member federations with sanctions for not insisting skaters give first priority to ISU events with TV contracts -- in this case, the World Championships that begin March 22 in Turin, Italy. This is the same rule the ISU invoked when it vainly tried to force eventual Olympic champion Kim Yuna of South Korea to compete at the Four Continents Championship in late January.
Rochette asked for but had not yet received permission from Skate Canada to skate at "Thin Ice" (which airs Friday and Sunday) before the event promoter announced she would be in the show. She was hoping to discuss the matter Monday with ISU officials.
ISU director general Schmid said it was up to Skate Canada to decide whether to allow Rochette to perform the exhibition.
"This is an internal decision of Skate Canada, and I do not know why they made it,'' Schmid said Monday.
Schmid said the national federation would have to determine whether Rochette's doing the exhibition posed a conflict with her participation at worlds. He added that Skate Canada has not yet entered her for worlds.
Attempts to reach Skate Canada chief executive William Thompson Monday were unsuccessful.
But, according to people familiar with the situation, the ISU has decided to let her do the exhibition with the quid pro quo that she skate at World Championships, but Rochette has yet to decide whether she wants to compete in the championships. Were she to skate the exhibition and then withdraw from the championships, the ISU could demand medical evidence to justify the withdrawal.
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