Quote:
Originally Posted by Ghoulish Delight
True, but the ISU makes changes in response to pressure from Olympic exposure to the sport. The ditching of the 6.0 system in favor of the current system (which now puts more emphasis on technical execution over artistic presentation) is a direct result of the Canadians losing in Salt Lake City in '02. When an aesthetic sport is put in the context of Olympic athletic competition, the expectations change.
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There had been lots of discussion about changing the judging system many years before the 2002 Olympics. When I first started attending National and Worlds and hanging out with Olympic skaters, it was a hot topic of discussion (1992-95). There was no doubt that the ISU was heading for a change in judging rules. What the 2002 Olympics provided was proof of abuse of the judging system which enabled the ISU to push the changes forward.
I don't find figure skating to be a primarily aesthetic sport. It is incredibly physically demanding and requires great athleticism (try jumping, spinning or balancing another person yourself, then try it on a 1/8" blade!). It just also had an element of presentation and aesthetics that is not unheard of in other Olympic sports (Gymnastics, Diving, etc).