By Eliane Ramos
“Ice Princess” was my first introduction to figure skating. I remember being entranced by the skaters’ elegance, their pretty costumes, and most importantly, their strength. Years went by and my interest in figure skating came and went with each new production that took a hold of the market: “I, Tonya”, “Yuri on Ice” and even though not a media production, the general internet obsession with Yuzuru Hanyu. Nonetheless, I had never really gone beyond the surface until this year’s Winter Olympics.
Given the all-encompassing nature of search algorithms and avid consumption of long video formats, I quickly found myself immersed in a three-part video essay about the current state of women’s figure skating. Having seen the news about a doping scandal involving the 15-year-old figure skater Camila Valieva, I was aware of some possible concerns about the sport. However, I found that my predictions were vastly underestimating the outright exploitation cycle that underscores women’s figure skating.
To put it simply and as it occurs with many other women-dominated categories, patriarchal views and practices have permeated the discipline to the point of rendering it abusive towards their participants. As it would be impossible to provide an in-depth recap of every problem that falls under this category, I will focus on the issue of ageism and as such, age-related disposability.
“It seems to me that everyone dreams about the Olympics. Actually, I’m praying that the Games are postponed to 2023. Damn, the next Olympics is in 2026. I will be 17-18 years old”. In the world of figure skating, 17 is already too old and podiums are systematically filled up with teenagers whose longevity in the sport is virtually impossible. Why? Much of it is related to what has come to be referred to as “the quadruple revolution”. In recent years, quadruple jumps have become the norm to even have a shot at entering the podium. These jumps consist of 4 rotations that can be achieved with different combinations but are generally considered to be of high difficulty and are thereby awarded more points. The problem with this phenomenon lies in the lengths to which trainers will go to make their students learn them and later, perform them. Poor technique is something that has been widely noted in the majority of girls that have been able to jump quads, fully relying on the athlete’s small frame and low weight instead. Yet, such a strategy has also been proven, time after time, to stop working when puberty hits, leading to career-ending injuries and eating disorders.
The disposability to which women are commonly subjected in patriarchal societies is then mirrored in this sport and how it is handled by the media. Titles such as “has Eugenia Medvedeva missed her moment?” and “Mariah Bell ‘ancient at 25’ wins US skating title” continuously make references to the system of replaceable women figure skating superstars. One is left to wonder, how many more figure skaters will have to come forward with their stories of ED-related hospitalizations? How many more will be forced to end their careers at a young age due to injuries, for the sport to actually change? It is also impossible not to generate comparisons with the men’s category. Even if age does play a factor for male participants, this is nowhere near as problematic or detrimental to their wellbeing. Moreover, there is no systematic erasure of older skaters and men figure skaters are capable of having lasting careers. If not, how could we still be enthusiastically following Yuzuru Hanyu during his third Winter Olympics at the age of 27? (which I must remark is also young!).
Women’s figure skating must undergo changes that will ultimately place their participants’ mental and physical health at the forefront of the discipline. Raising the age limit is one proposal that seems to be garnering attention. In that line, Katarina Kurakoba, a Russian-born figure skater representing Poland, commented: “I think if they raise the age, coaches will lead athletes to seniors differently. Take more care of joints and treat children differently”. It is in my most earnest hopes for the International Skating Union (ISU) to take matters into their own hands and provide regulations that benefit women’s career longevity. Without much ado, wouldn’t it be gratifying to see athletes such as Anna Shcherbakova delivering beautiful performances well established in their careers?
