International Skating Union

of the Netherlands, three-times World Allround Speed Skating Champion, having won the titles in 1893 (the year after the ISU was founded), 1895, and 1896 in the Dutch seaside town of Scheveningen. to govern speed skating and figure skating, as it laid down the rules for speed skating, shortly followed by figure skating. The United States and Canada formed a competing organization, the International Skating Union of America (ISUA), in 1907. Over the next two years, 12 European nations had joined the ISU, while the ISUA had only its original two members. European and North American figure skaters rarely competed against each other because of differences in their styles of skating. The ISU had "systematized and arranged" the sport of figure skating, According to figure skating historian James R. Hines, the ISU was formed due to the necessity of establishing a schedule of compulsory figures and to adopt the international style of figure skating used outside of North America and Great Britain. In 1911, Canada joined the ISU, leaving the United States as the only major competitor to not be a member. and in 1926, the Japanese sport governing body followed to acquire ISU membership. The first ISU competitions to emerge were the World and European Speed Skating and Figure Skating Championships. The discipline of ice dancing was introduced at the Innsbruck Games in 1976. After 1945, the ISU slowly continued to grow with accession of members from other countries in Europe, Oceania, and (Southern) Africa. The ISU celebrated its 75th anniversary in 1967, when they published 75 Years of European and World Championships. The organization was unable to celebrate its 25th and 50th anniversaries in 1917 and 1942 due to the two world wars. In 1991, the ISU celebrated its 100th anniversary. In 1967, the ISU adopted short track speed skating. By 1988, 38 nations had joined the ISU. Over the next few years, the organization abandoned one of its long-held practices, eliminating the use of mandatory figures in the singles' figure skating competitions and reducing their use in ice dancing. During the 1970s and 1980s, several Asian countries joined the ISU, followed in the early 1990s by many new countries emerging from the breakup of the USSR, Yugoslavia and Czechoslovakia. In 1994, synchronized skating was formally recognized as a separate discipline, The ISU approved the use of video replay, when available, to review referee decisions. The rules for judging figure skating were also overhauled as a direct result of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games figure skating scandal. According to Ottavio Cinquanta, former president of the ISU, "'Something was wrong there,' ... 'Not just the individual but also the system. It existed for 70 years. Now we are trying to replace one system with another.'" A new judging system for figure skating took effect in 2005, replacing the 6.0 system of "perfect" scores and instead giving points for various technical elements. Since the 2000s, the ISU has experienced a new wave of expansion, with several countries in Asia and Latin America joining the organization. In 2019, skating federations from Chile, Peru, Turkmenistan, and Vietnam acquired membership to the ISU. ==ISU Members==

Regions List of 80 Countries (102 Associations, Some nations have 2 organization member) in 5 Zones (Updated at 7 May 2025): • Four Continents (4C) (non-European countries): 35 Members • European Countries: 45 Members Year of Membership • Africa: • - 2022 • - 1938/1938 • - 2011 • Asia: • - 1956/1956 • - 1983 • - 2013 • - 2003 • - 1926 • - 1992 • - 2022 • - 2014 • - 1948 • - 2009 • - 1960 • - 2004 • - 1957 • - 2014 • - 2008 • - 1988 • - 2019 • - 1983 • - 2013 • - 1992 • - 2019 • Oceania: • - 1932/1957 • - 1964/1983 • Americas: • - 2004/2006 • - 2002 • - 1894/1947 • - 2019 • - 2015 • - 2021 • - 1987 • - 2019 • - 1923/1965 • Europe: • - 1995 • - 1994 • - 1995 • - 1993 • - 1979/1979 • - 1994 • - 1992 • - 1967 • - 1992 • - 1995 • - 1923/1991 • - 1913 • - 1956 • - 1928 • - 1908/1960 • - 1908 • - 1892 • - 1992 • - 1950/1950 • - 2015 • - 1908 • - 2008 • - 2000 • - 1992 • - 1927 • - 1926 • - 2014 • - 1980/1980 • - 1971/1996 • - 2014 • - 2017 • - 2003 • - 1892 • - 1894 • - 1925/1987 • - 2021 • - 1933 • - 1896 • - 1992 • - 2006 • - 1896/1911 • - 1993/1998 • - 1892/1905/1946 • - 1990 • - 1992/1992 ==ISU Championships==

In addition to sanctioning other international competitions, the ISU designates the following competitions each year as "ISU Championships": Veteran • World Veterans Figure Skating Championships • World Veterans Speed Skating Championships • World Veterans Short Track Speed Skating Championships Olympic The events such as the Olympic Winter Games and the ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating are not ISU Championships. However, they do count towards Personal Best scores. ==ISU Cups and Grand Prixs==

• ISU Speed Skating World Cup - 1985 • ISU Short Track Speed Skating World Cup - 1998–2024 • ISU Short Track World Tour - 2025 • ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating - 1995 • ISU Junior Grand Prix of Figure Skating - 1997 ==First world championships==

Dates and locations of first world championships in various disciplines held under the auspices of the ISU: • 1893: Speed skating (men only), Amsterdam • 1896: Figure skating (men only), St. Petersburg • 1906: Figure skating (ladies), Davos • 1908: Figure skating (pairs), St. Petersburg • 1936: Speed skating (women), Stockholm • 1952: Figure skating (ice dance), Paris • 1970: Sprint speed skating, West Allis, Wisconsin • 1978: Short track speed skating, Solihull, UK • 2000: Synchronized skating, Minneapolis ==Medals (Figure Skating)==

Source: Overall Medals (Stage 1 + Stage 2) Medals awarded to the skaters who achieved the highest overall placements in each discipline. Small Medals The short program, along with the free skating program, is a segment of single skating, pair skating, and synchronized skating in international competitions and events for both junior and senior-level skaters. It has been previously called the "original" or "technical" program. The short program was added to single skating in 1973, which created a three-part competition until compulsory figures were eliminated in 1990. The short program for pair skating was introduced at the 1963 European Championships, the 1964 World Championships, and the Olympics in 1968; previously, pair skaters only had to perform the free skating program in competitions. Synchronized skating has always had two competition segments, the short program and free skating. Small Medals awarded only at ISU Championships since probably 2009: Stage 1 = Small medals awarded to the skaters who achieved the highest short program or rhythm dance placements in each discipline. Stage 2 = Small medals awarded to the skaters who achieved the highest free skating or free dance placements in each discipline. Small Medals awarded only at ISU Championships: • World Figure Skating Championships • World Junior Figure Skating Championships • European Figure Skating Championships • Four Continents Figure Skating Championships Small Medals not awarded in: • Figure skating at the Olympic Games • ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating • or any other international competitions ==Cooperation with other sports==

The ISU has an agreement with the Federation of International Bandy to use the same arenas. The cooperation between the two federations is increasing, since both have an interest in more indoor venues with large ice surfaces being built. ==Organization==

The ISU is an international sport federation recognised by the International Olympic Committee as the body globally administering figure skating and speed skating sports ISU is organized as an association pursuant to Swiss laws (art. 60 of Swiss Civil Code). The ISU Statutes consist of the ISU Constitution including its Procedural Provisions, and ISU General Regulations setting out framework principles. More detailed provisions are contained in Special Regulations and Technical Rules for Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance, Synchronized Skating Speed Skating, and Short Track Speed Skating. The ISU Code of Ethics, the ISU Anti-Doping Rules, and ISU Anti-Doping Procedures contain further guidelines. Additional provisions and updates can also be found in ad-hoc published ISU Communications. Members The members of the ISU are the individual national associations whose task is to administer figure and speed skating on ice at the national level. Russia and Belarus suspension After the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, the ISU issued Communication No. 2469, banning all Russian and Belarusian athletes from events until further notice. On 28 March 2023 the International Olympic Committee (IOC) issued a statement recommending that Russian and Belarusian athletes be allowed to compete under a neutral flag. On 11 June 2023 the ISU responded to the IOC 28 March statement, saying that the ISU Council "decided to explore the feasibility issues with regard to potential pathways to implement the IOC recommendations within ISU Sports. ...The Council will continue to monitor the situation in Ukraine and its impact on the ISU activity as well as the decisions and their implementation within the Olympic Movement. In the meantime, ISU Communication 2469 remains in force". On 28 July the IOC responded to questions about its position. The suspension was extended in 2023, 2024 and 2025. ISU Congress The highest-ranking body of the ISU is the ISU Congress which consists of the ISU Members. The Congress meets once every two years for an ordinary meeting. Since the ISU's inception in 1892, 59 ordinary meetings in total have been organized. It is the executive body of the ISU and is responsible for determining the policies of the ISU and deciding upon the general coordination of the ISU structure and strategy. Presidents of the ISU ImageSize = width:800 height:auto barincrement:20 PlotArea = top:10 bottom:50 right:130 left:20 AlignBars = late DateFormat = yyyy Period = from:1890 till:2026 TimeAxis = orientation:horizontal ScaleMajor = unit:year increment:10 start:1892 Colors = id:BLU value:rgb(0.2745,0.5098,0.7059) BarData = barset:PM PlotData= width:5 align:left fontsize:S shift:(5,-4) anchor:till barset:PM from: 1892 till: 1895 color:BLU text:"Pim Mulier" fontsize:10 from: 1895 till: 1925 color:BLU text:"Viktor Balck" fontsize:10 from: 1925 till: 1937 color:BLU text:"Ulrich Salchow" fontsize:10 from: 1937 till: 1945 color:BLU text:"Gerrit W. A. van Laer" fontsize:10 from: 1945 till: 1953 color:BLU text:"Herbert J. Clarke" fontsize:10 from: 1953 till: 1967 color:BLU text:"James Koch" fontsize:10 from: 1967 till: 1967 color:BLU text:"Ernst Labin" fontsize:10 from: 1967 till: 1980 color:BLU text:"Jacques Favart" fontsize:10 from: 1980 till: 1994 color:BLU text:"Olaf Poulsen" fontsize:10 from: 1994 till: 2016 color:BLU text:"Ottavio Cinquanta" fontsize:10 from: 2016 till: 2022 color:BLU text:"Jan Dijkema" fontsize:10 from: 2022 till: 2026 color:BLU text:"Kim Jae-youl" fontsize:10 • 1892–1895 , Pim Mulier • 1895–1925 , Viktor Balck • 1925–1937 , Ulrich Salchow • 1937–1945 , Gerrit W. A. van Laer • 1945–1953 , Herbert J. Clarke • 1953–1967 , James Koch • 1967–1967 , Ernst Labin • 1967–1980 , Jacques Favart • 1980–1994 , Olaf Poulsen • 1994–2016 , Ottavio Cinquanta • 2016–2022 , Jan Dijkema • 2022–present , Kim Jae-youl ISU Commissions and Committees Following the ISU Congress 2018, the organizational chart of the ISU includes alongside the ISU Congress and ISU Council, assisted by the ISU Secretariat, the following bodies: elected by the ISU Congress. by providing advice to the ISU Council, Technical Committees, Sports Directors, Director General and other internal bodies. The ISU Medical Commission coordinates compliance with anti-doping regulations. Similar to many international sports federations, ISU adopted eligibility rules. Under the ISU eligibility rules, skaters participating in competitions that are not approved by the ISU face severe penalties up to a lifetime ban from all major international skating events. Historically, only amateurs were allowed to qualify for the Olympic Games and in 1962, the IOC issued the Eligibility rules which specified that persons receiving remuneration and other material advantages for participation in sport were not eligible to compete in the Olympic Games. In 2011, Icederby International approached the ISU to enter into a partnership agreement and presented its action plan. Initially, Icederby included betting in connection with its planned Grand Prix in countries where betting was not prohibited. In January 2012, the ISU updated its Code of Ethics to rule out the participation in all forms of betting. Two years later, Icederby notified the ISU that no betting would be organised in connection with the planned Dubai Icederby Grand Prix as betting is illegal in Dubai. Two professional speed skaters, Mark Tuitert and Niels Kerstholt, lodged a complaint and on 5 October 2015, the European Commission initiated formal antitrust proceedings into alleged anti-competitive restrictions imposed by the International Skating Union on athletes and officials' economic activities and alleged foreclosure of competing alternative sport event organisers. On 20 October 2015, the ISU published the procedure for independent organisers to receive authorisation from the ISU Council. Under the 2016 Eligibility rules, the sanctions imposed on a skater participating in non-authorised events ranged from a warning to periods of ineligibility running from an unspecified minimum to a maximum of a lifetime. The Commission gave the ISU 90 days to amend the rules and did not impose a fine. In addition, the ISU filed an appeal against the EU Commission decision pending before the EU General Court. Commercial aspects The ISU, as an Olympic Winter Sport Federation, derives its revenues from Whereas the situation regarding TV events appears to be relatively stable, the conclusion of sponsorship agreements becomes more challenging due to a highly competitive market environment. == See also ==