Who knows, maybe one day teams will be able to compete virtually in a Challenger Series competition. (Credits: Paul Carrolo, UnisonPhoto - 2024)

During the ISU Congress held at the beginning of the summer, proposal no. 259, aimed at introducing virtual synchronized challenger competitions, was not accepted due to insufficient testing. This proposal sought to enable remote participation, reducing travel costs for teams.

In June, the ISU Congress reviewed and rejected proposal no. 259, which suggested the introduction of virtual synchronized challenger competitions. This decision was influenced primarily by the lack of comprehensive testing of the proposed formats.

Proposal no. 259 aimed to amend Rule 800 by adding a new paragraph to allow for up to two virtual synchronized challenger competitions annually. To ensure accurate evaluation and scoring, these events would adhere to all technical requirements, including video quality.

1. Centralized officials and remote teams: All technical panel officials and judges would be in the same location, while teams could perform either at this central location or remotely, with an ISU or International Referee present at each location to coordinate.

2. Distributed officials and teams: The technical panel officials and the referee would be in the same location, while judges and teams would connect remotely through virtual technology, each location having an ISU or International Referee.

3. Pre-recorded performances: Teams would record their short programs (SP) and free skates (FS) with an ISU or International Referee present. The recordings would be uploaded to a secure server for officials to evaluate at a scheduled time.

The primary reason for rejecting the proposal was the lack of thorough testing of these virtual formats. The Synchronized Skating Technical Committee emphasized the need for extensive evaluation of various virtual formats to ensure the reliability and accuracy of the competitions. The proposal underscored the necessity for high-quality video technology to accurately evaluate performances. Any compromise in video quality could lead to inaccuracies in scoring, affecting the competition's integrity.

The proposal suggested re-evaluating this idea after adequate testing during the current season. The results of these tests would determine whether to reintroduce the proposal at the 2024 ISU Congress or if further testing is necessary.

If implemented successfully, virtual Challenger competitions could provide opportunities for federations that struggle with the high costs of international travel. It would also offer additional chances for teams to earn points toward their rankings.

While the ISU Congress acknowledged the potential benefits of virtual competitions, the decision to reject Proposal No. 259 was based on the need for more rigorous testing.

The Synchronized Skating Technical Committee will continue to explore and refine these virtual formats to possibly revisit this proposal in the future.