Zakarian hopes new ISU leadership will continue to hold skating awards

Sports agent Ari Zakarian, in an interview with , expressed hope that the new management of the International Skating Union (ISU) will continue to organize the skating awards.

The first edition of the prize was to take place following the results of the 2020 World Championship in Montreal, but the tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. The award was held twice, both times online. The skating awards will not take place this year – the ISU has indicated that the award will be given next year after the results of two seasons. According to , this decision was made due to the reluctance to include Russians in the nominations due to the crisis in Ukraine.

– What do you think figure skating needs now, in order not to get lost in the current difficult conditions?

– We need a tour of ISU champions and winners to travel around the world and cultivate figure skating in countries like Argentina, Brazil or Mexico. I offered the ISU a model of how this can work financially. Now everything depends on the new composition of the organization. Skaters have to perform and earn money. If not, why would they spend 8 hours a day at the cold rink? Performing an item and then bragging to the kids? It is very important that they are visible. I don’t know a single skater yet who would say touring isn’t necessary.

In addition, we have to organize a prize (Skating Awards), which we have not been able to do normally due to the pandemic. I hope that the new composition will realize it. Because not only me, but a lot of people believe that it advances figure skating. This is very important for everyone. And everyone thinks so, except a few “friends” of Russian figure skating, who oppose it. And now I’m not talking about the federation.