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Terms used:

Board

The board of Directors of Skate Canada.

Director

An individual elected or appointed to serve on the Board pursuant to this Bylaw.

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. 

International Skating Union

The International Skating Union (ISU) is the exclusive international sport federation recognized by the International Olympic Committee administering the sports of Figure Skating and Speed Skating throughout the world. The ISU is composed of a number of national associations called ISU Members that administer ISU sports at the national level and recognize that all international matters are under the sole jurisdiction and control of the ISU.

Member

Each person that meets the requirements of any of the three Member classes as defined in Article 3 hereof [of the bylaws] and that has been duly admitted as a member of Skate Canada.

 

Officer

The President and such other officers as the Board may determine by Ordinary Resolution.

Ordinary Resolution

A resolution passed by the majority of votes cast on that resolution.

President

The president of Skate Canada. The President is the chair of the Board.

Registrant

Includes (i) an individual who is registered by a Club or Skating School with Skate Canada and who is subject to all applicable rules, regulations and policies of Skate Canada but who is not a Member; and (ii) an individual who is engaged in any activity provided, sponsored, supported, sanctioned or recognized by Skate Canada and registered directly with Skate Canada but who is not a Member.

Section

An organization incorporated or organized in a particular province or territory (and in some cases, a combination thereof) strategically aligned with Skate Canada, that may receive funds from provincial or territorial Governmental Authorities and be subject to applicable sport recognition programs and transfer payment arrangements. Each Section is held to the governance and operating requirements of their respective province and / or territory(ies) and is responsible for skating in their respective jurisdictions.

Step

The visible tracing on the ice that is executed on one foot. A step is counted each time there is a change of foot.

Steps

The visible tracing on the ice that is executed on one foot. A step is counted each time there is a change of foot.

Overview

Skate Canada directly and indirectly, through the support of various funding partners, invests considerable time, effort and financial resources in support of athletes who compete internationally for Canada. 

From time to time, Skate Canada receives requests from another ISU member to release Skate Canada athletes to such other ISU member to allow such athletes to compete for such other ISU member. Skate Canada is committed to ensuring a consistent and fair approach is taken in considering all such requests.

This Athlete Release Procedure (“Procedure”) is intended to provide direction to athletes seeking release from Skate Canada’s programs in order to allow them to compete internationally for another ISU member.

Systems

Not applicable

Definitions

Certain terms used herein may not be capitalized; however, for the purposes of this Procedure, the following terms used herein have the ascribed meanings as set forth below. In addition, all references in this Procedure to the singular include the plural and vice versa.

athlete means any Registrant, as that term is defined in the Bylaws 

Board, pursuant to the Bylaws, means the board of directors of Skate Canada

Bylaws means the bylaws of Skate Canada as amended and which are, from time to time, in force and effect

competition season means the period of any relevant year from July 1 – June 30 (inclusive) and includes any time that the athlete does not represent Skate Canada due to circumstances beyond the athlete’s control (e.g. injury, illness, war, pandemic, etc.)

CEO means the Chief Executive Officer of Skate Canada, a Board-appointed position

director, pursuant to the Bylaws, means a person elected or appointed to serve on the Board

eligible means that the athlete is qualified to represent Skate Canada at an International Competition or ISU Championship whether the athlete actually competes at an International Competition or an ISU Championship or does not compete for any reason

executive management means the Senior Director, Marketing and Events, Senior Director, Operations and Senior Director, Performance Excellence of Skate Canada, all of whom report directly to the CEO

External Relations Committee means Skate Canada’s External Relations Committee, a standing committee of the Board

International Competition means competitive events as listed under ISU Rule 107, paragraphs 1-11, inclusive. 

ISU means the International Skating Union

ISU Championship means those events listed under ISU Rule 107, paragraphs 1(l), (m) and (o).  For certainty, the World Synchronized Skating Championships and World Junior Synchronized Skating Championships are excluded from the definition of ISU Championship for the purposes of this Procedure.

ISU member means those organizations recognized by the ISU as controlling in a country the branch of Figure Skating

officer, pursuant to the Bylaws, means the President of Skate Canada and such other officer(s) as the Board may determine by ordinary resolution

organization means Skate Canada

OWG means the Olympic Winter Games

President, pursuant to the Bylaws, means the president of Skate Canada

qualified to represent Skate Canada means that the athlete has been selected by Skate Canada to represent Skate Canada at an International Competition or ISU Championship

total financial support means any and all funds received through: Sport Canada’s Athlete Assistance Program; Own the Podium Enhanced Excellence or NextGen funding; Skate Canada High Performance Grants, International Grants, International Travel or Bursary Grants or other direct funding; direct spending by Skate Canada that enables travel; and any Skate Canada Section, including, without limitation, direct financial support or provincial government financial assistance

YOG means the Winter Youth Olympic Games

Procedure Scope/Applicability

This Procedure applies to all Registrants.

Procedure Steps

1.In the case of an athlete who has never represented Skate Canada at an International Competition, Skate Canada will release such athlete upon receipt of:

  • a written request by such athlete; and
  • a written request by the ISU member for whom such athlete intends to compete.

 2. In the case of an athlete who:

is eligible; or has

  • received less than CAN $10,000 (ten thousand Canadian dollars) in total financial support; and
  • represented Skate Canada at an International Competition but not an ISU Championship, the YWOG, or the OWG during the preceding three (3) competition seasons

Skate Canada will release such athlete after a waiting period of one (1) competition season following the athlete’s last competition season upon receipt of:

  • a written request by such athlete; and
  • a written request by the ISU member for whom such athlete intends to compete.

     3. In the case of an athlete who has:

  •  received CAN$10,000 (ten thousand Canadian Dollars) or more in total financial support; or 
  • represented Skate Canada at an ISU Championship, the YOG, or the OWG during the preceding five (5) competition seasons,

Skate Canada will release such athlete after a waiting period of two (2) competition seasons following the athlete’s last competition season after receipt of:

  • a written request by such athlete; and
  • a written request by the ISU member for whom such athlete intends to compete. 

 4. The Senior Director, Performance Excellence, is required to consult Skate Canada’s CEO and President with respect to any request contemplated by Procedure Steps 2 and 3 hereof.

5.  The Senior Director, Performance Excellence, is required to provide a verbal report to the External Relations Committee regarding decisions and implications following Procedure Step 4 as it relates to an athlete requesting release in accordance with Procedure Step 3. The report will be shared at least quarterly.

 6. The Board shall receive an update on all release decisions on request and, in any event, not less than once annually.

Roles and Accountabilities

Skate Canada

The President and CEO have delegated all administrative responsibilities related to the release of athletes to whom this Procedure applies to the Senior Director, Performance Excellence.

 In order to meet this responsibility, the Senior Director, Performance Excellence ensures the establishment of applicable processes in support of this obligation. 

Senior Director, Performance Excellence

The Senior Director, Performance Excellence, who has oversight of Performance Excellence, which includes all aspects of Skate Canada’s high-performance program, is responsible for:

  • development, application and maintenance of this Procedure and processes in support of this Procedure
  • oversight of the athlete release process
  • minimizing the risk of legal liability resulting from athlete releases
  • interpretation of this Procedure
  • consulting with the CEO and the President on all requests for release of athletes under Procedure Steps 2 and 3 prior to communicating any decision to the relevant ISU member or athlete.
  • providing a verbal report to the External Relations Committee on release requests subject to Procedure Step 3.
  • providing a standing report to the Board on all release decisions on request and, in any event, not less than once annually.

Controls and Monitoring

The primary controls and monitoring mechanisms are as follows:

  • for athlete releases contemplated by Procedure Steps 2 or 3, consultation with the CEO and the President is required prior to communicating any decision to the relevant ISU member or athlete and certainly before a final decision is taken
  • a standing report, at a minimum annually, to the Board on all release decisions.

 This Procedure is reviewed and approved at a minimum every 2 (two) years, or sooner if there are legislative or regulatory changes, as part of policy review and validation in accordance with Skate Canada’s Policy Management Policy. 

As a general rule, there are no exceptions to this Procedure. Exceptions for earlier release are made only under limited circumstances and only with the prior written approval of the CEO and the President. Exceptions for athlete releases contemplated by Procedure Step 3 must be discussed with the Board.   

 

Skate Canada Athlete Agreement

Questions/ Contact Information

For questions, please refer to the Senior Director, Performance Excellence