Governing body reveals details of proposal to boost age limit to 17

Figure skating’s governing body has detailed a proposal to raise the athlete age limit to 17 at the Olympics and other international events. The proposal was expected even before 15-year-old Kamila Valieva’s doping case dominated the women’s event at the Beijing Olympics. The International Skating Union wants the new age limit phased in before the 2026 Olympics and published a proposal to be voted on at its June 5-10 meetings in Thailand.

Though 15-year-olds could continue to compete next season, the limit is set to rise to 16 for the 2023-24 season. It would be 17 the year after — the last full season before the 2026 Winter Games in Italy. The ISU medical commission cited concerns with “burnout, disordered eating and long-term consequences of injury” with young skaters pushed to perform more quadruple jumps. The governing body “has a duty of care to protect the physical and psychological health and safety of all athletes,” the medical experts advise.

Valieva was put under extreme stress in Beijing as the gold medal favorite whose positive doping test in Russia was belatedly revealed during the games. A Court of Arbitration for Sport ruling allowed her to compete pending a full investigation, but a mistake-filled free program dropped her to fourth place and she was then criticized by her coach, Eteri Tutberidze. IOC President Thomas Bach later highlighted “tremendous coldness” in the Russian entourage, and the silver medalist, 17-yearold Alexandra Trusova, also seemed distressed after competing. Gold medalist Anna Shcherbakova was also 17.