On figure skating

[adevyish]

Cut from my previous post, because it felt out of place.

[CSA TW]

Figure skating really showed its ass these past couple seasons. I have never been a fan of the racist, homophobic, and patriarchal institutions that govern it. And I was aware that there were predatory coaches, as there is a very well-known one who dated several of his students and married one right after she turned 18. But most skaters and associations didn’t openly support him as far as I knew.

But to see last year so many well-known skaters eulogize an American coach who was known to be under investigation. (Who was under investigation because what happened in gymnastics gave enough momentum for survivors in this sport to finally come forward, one of whom was a prominent peer* of these skaters eulogizing him.) Then to have this year prominent coaches victim-blame a 13-year-old while the French association played cover-up. While the ISU banned “political” fan banners at competitions, the timing of which came across as targeting fans who’d hung banners at competitions in support of victims last year.

There are too few skaters left who I am comfortable supporting.

* It was only a rumour who it was at that point, but if rumour hits skating fandom, it’s definitely known in the skating community. And the rumour turned out to be right.