The International Skating Union, founded in 1892, is the exclusive international sport federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) administering sports in the Branches of Figure Skating and Speed Skating throughout the world. (Long Track) Speed Skating and Short Track Speed Skating come under the Speed Skating Branch while Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance and Synchronized Skating constitute the Figure Skating Branch. The ISU is composed of a number of national associations called ISU Members, who administer ISU sports at the national level and recognize that all international matters are under the sole jurisdiction and control of the ISU.
ISU Objectives, Composition and Activities
The objectives of the ISU are to regulate, govern and promote the sports in the Figure Skating and Speed Skating Branches and their organized development on the basis of friendship and mutual understanding between sportsmen and women. The ISU works to broaden interest in all its disciplines by increasing their popularity, improving their quality and increasing the number of participants throughout the world. The ISU Council is the highest ISU body between Congresses and its main functions are to determine the policies of the ISU and decide upon the general coordination of the ISU structure, allot ISU Championships and other ISU Events, checking that the accounting for and management of assets are subject to adequate controls, the preparation and submission to Congress of annual budgets, decisions regarding the admission or suspension of Members, decisions on appeals from the decisions of the Technical Committees and ISU Officials involving violation of technical sport Rules amongst many others.
ISU Events
Among the activities of the ISU particular importance is given to Events which include: ISU Championships, ISU Speed Skating and Short Track Speed Skating World Cup Competitions, ISU Grand Prix of Figure Skating Competitions, ISU World Team Trophy in Figure Skating, ISU International Competitions, ISU exhibitions, ISU shows, ISU tours and performances/appearances. The ISU organizes over 50 Events each Season which are listed below:
- ISU World Cup Speed Skating Series
- ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Series
- ISU European Speed Skating Championships
- ISU World Sprint Speed Skating Championships
- ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships
- ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships
- ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships
- ISU Short Track World Tour
- ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Series
- ISU European Speed Skating Championships
- ISU World Sprint Speed Skating Championships
- ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships
- ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships
- ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships
- ISU World Cup Speed Skating Series
- ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Series
- ISU European Speed Skating Championships
- ISU World Sprint Speed Skating Championships
- ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships
- ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships
- ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships
- ISU Junior World Cup Speed Skating Series
- ISU European Speed Skating Championships
- ISU World Sprint Speed Skating Championships
- ISU World Allround Speed Skating Championships
- ISU World Single Distances Speed Skating Championships
- ISU World Junior Speed Skating Championships
Membership
Membership in the ISU may be granted to a national association located in a country in which there exists no national association already being a Member of the ISU. If the Council is satisfied that the two Branches of Skating are controlled by two different associations in the same country, the Council may elect two Members from that country, one to be designated as Figure Skating Member and the other as Speed Skating Member. For further information on Membership, please consult Article 6 of the ISU Constitution and General Regulations.
ISU Development Program
The ISU has an extensive Development Program which makes financing available, within a budget set by the ISU Council to improve the quality and numbers of participants (including Officials) in competitive international Figure and Speed Skating, aid Member development programs that meet ISU criteria, aid young, talented skaters in need of support, provide experienced Coaches and sport administrators on a temporary basis to assist Members and support development initiatives identified by Members, Technical Committees, Commissions and the Council.
