Terms used:
Chief Data Specialist
The data specialist who oversees the team of data specialists at a competition.
Data Specialist
An individual sixteen years of age or older who has been trained and appointed to calculate the results of sanctioned figure skating competitions.
Event
The name given to a group of skaters entered in a category. There may be one event per category or several events per category depending on the number of total entries. Each event is independent of the other events within the category.
Events
The name given to a group of skaters entered in a category. There may be one event per category or several events per category depending on the number of total entries. Each event is independent of the other events within the category.
Fall
Defined as a loss of control by a skater with the result that the majority of the skater's body weight is on the ice being supported by any other part of the body other than the blades. e.g. hand(s), knee(s), back, buttock(s) or any part of the arm.
Falls
Defined as a loss of control by a skater with the result that the majority of the skater's body weight is on the ice being supported by any other part of the body other than the blades. e.g. hand(s), knee(s), back, buttock(s) or any part of the arm.
Grade Of Execution
The mark given by a judge to evaluate the quality of an element in a program. There are 11 GOEs ranging from +5 to -5.
Interruptions
The period of time starting immediately when the competitor stops performing the program or is ordered to do so by the referee, whichever is earlier, and ending when the competitor resumes the performance.
Judge
An individual sixteen years of age or older who has been trained and appointed to officiate at or below a specified level of competition in one or more of singles, pairs, ice dance or synchronized skating.
Judges
An individual sixteen years of age or older who has been trained and appointed to officiate at or below a specified level of competition in one or more of singles, pairs, ice dance or synchronized skating.
Member
Each person that meets the requirements of any of the three Member classes as defined in Article 3 hereof and that has been duly admitted as a member of Skate Canada.
Members
Each person that meets the requirements of any of the three Member classes as defined in Article 3 hereof and that has been duly admitted as a member of Skate Canada.
Program Component
The mark given by a judge to assess the different aspects of a skater’s performance. There are three PCs: Composition, Presentation and Skating Skills. The Program Components marking range is from 0.25 to 10.0.
Referee
A referee of an event within a competition is an experienced judge who has received further training to conduct an event and monitor the performance of the panel of judges. Referees are qualified to referee or judge at or below a specified level of competition in one or more of singles, pairs, ice dance or synchronized skating.
Spin
An element where the skater rapidly revolves, centred on a single point on the ice, while holding one or more body positions. In singles and pairs, a spin must have at least three revolutions to be considered a spin. The minimum number of revolutions in a position is two without interruption.
Technical Controller
An individual sixteen years of age or older who is responsible for accurate technical panel process and authorizes, corrects, deletes and adds elements to the list of elements performed during an event. Technical controllers are qualified to act on panels at or below a specified level of competition in one or more of singles, pairs, ice dance or synchronized skating.
Technical Specialist
An individual sixteen years of age or older who identifies elements and levels of difficulty of elements in competition. The technical specialist also identifies falls and illegal elements. Technical specialists are qualified to act on panels at or below a specified level of competition in one or more of singles, pairs, ice dance or synchronized skating.
The following provides detail on the procedure to be followed for a protest of an item contained in the Competitions Rule.
Procedure
All protests must be in writing.
Protests Regarding the Participation of a Competitor or the Composition of the Panels of Officials
The protest must be addressed to the technical representative of the competition, who will review the protest and determine the validity.
In the case of the participation of a competitor, if an immediate decision cannot be reached, the competitor under discussion will be permitted to compete. If they qualify for an award, the announcement of the result and the distribution of awards will be deferred until a decision has been reached.
Protests Regarding the Determination of the Results of a Competitor
The protest must be filed with the technical representative of the competition. The technical representative will immediately provide the referee of the event a copy of the protest. If a technical representative is not appointed, protests must be lodged directly with the referee of the event.
In all cases, only official video replay footage may be used to assist in deliberation. It is at the discretion of the protest committee (as defined below) to determine if they wish to reference official video replay footage.
General
Protests concerning the determination of the results of a competition, except misidentified elements, will be considered by a protest committee composed of the following individuals: the referee and the technical controller (if applicable) of the event, and the chief data specialist. Other experts may assist the process where necessary, and as determined by the protest committee. The originator of the protest may not be a member of the protest committee. If necessary, the technical representative will assign replacements so that the protest committee is comprised of at least three individuals. The technical representative will convene the protest committee as soon as possible.
If the protest committee determines that an error in the following list has occurred then it must be corrected, and the results recalculated.
- incorrect mathematical calculation, including but not limited to:
- value assigned to an element
- application of principles of calculation
- application of the well-balanced program regulations
- error in the input of any element, fall, bonus, illegal element, or any other deduction by the data input operator or the data specialist (in the case of manual events). This error implies that correct instruction was given by the technical controller.
Protests of the calculation of the results on any other grounds must be considered in good faith by the protest committee.
Misidentified Elements
Field of play decisions are not subject to protest, except as noted below.
A field of play decision is one taken in the field of play where the official (referee, judge, technical controller, technical specialist) must make an interpretation of the rules in the live setting of the competition and subsequently record this decision. The following decisions of officials are examples of a field of a play decision:
- The assignment of the level to an element or the identification of an element
- The decision to assess a jump as “under-rotated”
- The assignment of a grade of execution for an element
- The assignment of a program component score
- The assessment of a program time violation
- The assessment of a lift time violation
- The assessment of a violation for a fall
- The assessment of a violation for interruptions to the program
- Error in input by a judge or the referee of a GOE score, program component score or any violation under their authority
- Any other decision of the referee.
An exception to the principles of field of play is permitted to allow for any obvious misidentification of an element to be corrected. This permits the correction of an obvious human error and allows the skater to be awarded for what has been performed in the case of an obvious misidentification.
The protest committee for misidentified elements will be composed of the referee and the appropriate officials involved in the initial identification of the element under review.
As this process is meant to correct an obvious human error, all members of the protest committee must agree on the correction of the element.
The chart below provides examples of obvious human errors that may be considered for revision by the review panel:
| Scenario/Element Executed | Misidentified "Call" | Correction by Review Panel |
| 3A | 2A | 3A |
| 1Lz+1Lo+1T | 1Lz+1Lo | 1Lz+1Lo+1T |
| 2 falls | 3 falls | 2 falls |
| A skater executes a second 3Lz solo jump in FS | 3Lz+SEQ | 3Lz+REP |
| 4STh | 3STh | 4STh |
| CuLi4 | SlLi4 | CuLi4 |
| B2 (linear block) | AB2 (artistic block) | B2 (linear block) |
Field of play calls such as the level of a spin, the call of under-rotated or downgraded jumps, judges' GOE are not included in this procedure and would not change.
Recalculation of Results
In the case where a recalculation of the result must take place, it will be conducted under the supervision of the chief data specialist, and will be approved, by signature, by the referee, the technical controller (where applicable) and the chief data specialist.
The referee will report the decision of the protest committee to the technical representative of the competition and the originator of the protest prior to public communication of the decision. This decision will be considered the “decision of the referee”.
If the decision of the committee results in a recalculation of the result the technical representative or designate, will make all reasonable effort to inform the sections, coaches and skaters who are affected by the recalculation of the result. A communication regarding the protest and decision will be posted with the revised result. Only the revised result will appear in the official protocol of the competition.
Informal Clarification of Field of Play Decisions
All informal requests for clarification of decisions of the officials categorized as field of play must be filed with the technical representative of the competition. The technical representative will coordinate the most appropriate mechanism for the technical controller or referee (as appropriate) to provide feedback to the questions. Such informal requests may be made by the same individuals entitled to file a protest.
