The world champions who are finally being heard

BarcelonaFor many years, Catalan figure skaters were invisible to the institutions. Year after year, they achieved all-Catalan international podium finishes and placed figure skating among the world's elite. However, the response from the Generalitat (Catalan government) was silence. As if the demands of this discipline were not comparable to those of other sports. But last week, After much insistence and years of advocacy, There has been a significant step forward that begins to acknowledge a long-standing and undeniable reality. The Extraordinary Commission for the Evaluation of High Performance in Catalonia, at the request of the Department of Sports, approved criteria that will allow the Catalan Skating Federation to submit applications from athletes in the show skating discipline within the Catalan high-performance system. "It's very good news, and we're really happy," explains Julia Casadevall, captain of CPA Olot. "We believe it's a very important step. A first step in recognizing all the years of effort and international achievements."

The Federation also views the agreement favorably. Its president, Benjamín Pons, summarizes it clearly: "We've improved, and above all, we've eased the bottleneck." Furthermore, she also says that this is the first time the specific reality of this discipline has been taken into account: "We've been given the opportunity to influence the decisions. If we strive to do things right, more athletes will get in." The problem was that the system wasn't designed for them, since the regulations for high-level competition are designed for individual sports or team disciplines that compete with national teams. However, the show format was left out of this framework, given that when teams access international tournaments, they do so on behalf of their clubs. This structural difference meant that, despite accumulating international achievements, they couldn't access high-performance levels.

Faced with this situation, in 2018 an attempt was made to adapt the criteria to include show skating in the high-level system. On paper, recognition existed, but in practice it was unattainable. The requirements demanded participation in at least one Catalan Championship in the individual or pairs category, at least three years of experience in the show discipline, and, above all, a medal at a European or World Championship with the participation of at least six countries. This last point became the main obstacle. The financial difficulties of competing outside Europe meant that this minimum international participation was often not met, especially in competitions held in America or Asia. Without being able to fulfill the condition, recognition was as if it didn't exist. With the new agreement, the criteria were made more flexible. Now it is necessary to have participated in a Catalan Championship in either individual or pairs competitions. solo dance In the last five years, athletes must have competed in show competitions in the last two years and have been a European champion or world medalist in competitions with at least four countries. Furthermore, this requirement can now be met in both the current and previous seasons; a key change, given the difficulties of international participation in certain venues.

A starting point for change

“For us, going from six to four countries is a big deal,” Pons points out. “And the fact that the previous year is also taken into account helps us tremendously.” Along the same lines, the Secretary of Sports for the Generalitat, Abel Garcia, emphasizes: “What we want is to put the athletes at the center. They are not responsible for the fact that few clubs participate representing other countries in international championships.” The decree establishes that federations can submit applications as early as this April, with an initial decision in June and a second window in October, before its final publication in December. This new scenario represents a step forward for skating, especially in areas such as education. The Minister of Sports, Berni Álvarez, highlights this: “This agreement will allow them to access university aid programs and have greater support when pursuing their university studies.” According to Casadevall: “This will be key to being able to continue competing without having to worry so much about reaching a cut-off score.”

However, this progress won't reach everyone immediately. Despite reducing international participation from six in four countries, the criteria still require prior experience in the individual discipline, which many show skaters don't possess. An example of this can be found at CPA Olot: only four of the 25 skaters who are part of the main show team could currently apply for high-level status. "Many have spent five years leaving individual competition to dedicate themselves 100% to show skating," explains Casadevall.

CPA Tona faces a similar situation. The Osona club is a leading force in show skating and regularly participates in international championships. This year, their good results in the first Catalan competitions allow them to once again aspire to international events. However, even in the best-case scenario, none of the skaters could request high-level recognition, as they haven't participated in a Catalan free skating championship or solo dance in the last five years.

The case of Sergi Canales is also paradigmatic. The AS Cunit skater, recognized as the best Catalan athlete in 2024, will not be eligible for the award. Despite having been European champion and third in the world in individual skating in 2019, accumulating European titles and world podium finishes in quartet and small group events from 2021 to the present day, he falls outside the criteria because he stopped competing in free skating seven years ago.

Faced with this scenario, the Federation insists that the agreement is only a starting point. "First we have to conduct the trial, but when we have clear figures and can test the athletes who have been included, if we are not satisfied with the results, we will fight to change it," admits Pons. The sector celebrates having managed, for the first time, to break with invisibility. The challenge, from now on, will be to see to what extent the recognition translates into real opportunities for skaters.