ISU President on Possible Russia Ban: We’ll Wait on the IOC

International Skating Union President Jan Dijkema defers comment on Russians until after International Olympic Committee investigations.

In Russia, all eyes are currently on Saransk, where the final of their internal Cup series will begin Monday. After it concludes on Friday, they will likely announce their world team. Meanwhile, the debate rages on as to whether officials should allow them to compete, with the current doping allegations. On Sunday International Skating Union president Jan Dijkema addressed the issue. For those who think Russia is getting away with far too much, his words were disappointing.

Since the allegations of major state-sponsored Russian doping first became public, people have debated if they’re extensive enough to ban Russia from the Olympics. For the 2016 Olympics, the International Olympic Committee left it up to the individual federations, two of whom did ban them. At U.S. Nationals in January, the president of U.S. Skating urged the ISU to do the same. The federation later distanced themselves from his comments. The current investigation into the ladies champion from Sochi doesn’t help that picture.

Dijkema had to address this issue sooner or later. Sunday he did. He spoke of leaving it “up to the IOC,” and certainly not doing anything until they finish their investigations. On paper, that would look like a sensible enough decision, at least for now. Waiting for all the facts is the smart thing most of the time. The IOC currently has two commissions doing investigations, so if they want to find facts, they certainly will. As Dijkema points out, this is also what all the winter sports federations are doing.

But the question lingers as to whether any of these officials can be relied upon to do the right thing. The IOC received heavy criticism for not banning the Russians from Rio. The likely influence of Vladimir Putin and similar figures on various officials and organizations in the sporting world, including the IOC, is downright alarming. We can not even be certain the commissions will want to find facts. Even if they do, and find them, Dijkema’s words bring up the possibly that both the ISU and the IOC will leave it to the other to ban the Russians. Then neither would, regardless of whether they should or not.

Also hanging in the balance is the fate of the 2018 European Championships. Right now, Moscow is scheduled to host. Here the ISU has taken action, at least on the speed skating side. Recently they moved an event from Russia to Norway because of the doping concerns. Moving events at the last minute is difficult to manage, but doable. The 2011 World Championships did relocate, suffering only a month’s delay. Of course, it moved to Russia. No one is sure if any other country could’ve pulled that off. Still, the summer may well see the moving of the ISU Championship event. Even if the ISU does nothing else.

Next: Two American Announcements, and One Sort-Of Announcement

Perhaps there is nothing for it but to hope the Russian figure skaters, at least, aren’t doping. Doing so would not give them the clear-cut advantage it would in other sports. So perhaps they are not.