After the Olympics, however, I was faced with a big decision: whether to retain my amateur status or turn professional. After many months of weighing my options, I decided to turn pro. It was a difficult choice, one which included financial considerations. My family-had generously supported me emotionally and monetarily for 16 years, allowing me to focus entirely on my skating. I had reached my goal, and now it was time to stop relying on them for financial support. During this time, the International Skating Union (the ISU is the organization that governs amateur skating and Olympic eligibility) was moving toward changing its rules. I was hopeful I could compete in the 1992 Olympics even if I went pro.
I’m fortunate to be in a sport where there’s life after the Olympics. After ‘88, a number of opportunities came my way, including a television special (“Canvas of Ice”) and a costarring role in a movie (“Carmen on Ice.”) I was also involved in the creation of a new type of ice show. The show, titled “Skating,” was a large production featuring a cast composed of the world’s best skaters. Its success spawned “Skating II” and this year’s “Chrysler Skating ‘92.” These projects gave me a great sense of accomplishment but did not fulfill my competitive desires. My primary focus was and continues to be competitive skating. I still wanted to compete in the Olympics. Seeing the rapid changes in other Olympic sports kept my hopes up.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) gives the governing body of every sport the right to determine who is eligible to compete in that particular sport. For several years the IOC has been pushing the international sports federations to “open up” and include their best athletes in the Olympics. Tennis was one of the first sports to open competitions to professionals. In fact, in the summer of 1988, in Seoul, I saw Steffi Graf win the Olympic tennis event. Since then more and more federations have gone this route, discarding their old rules and opening their respective sports to amateur and professional athletes alike. I hoped figure skating would follow suit. Needless to say, I was greatly disappointed when the figure-skating federation last year adopted rules that would bar me from the upcoming Olympics.
Prior to a May 1990 meeting of the ISU, I petitioned the group to open the sport to all skaters. Throughout 1988 and ‘89, ISU officials assured me that my career path would not bar me from entering the Olympics when eligibility requirements were relaxed. With that in mind, I carefully chose projects that would allow me time to train and continue to develop my skating. I participated in professional competitions because they were the only way for me to keep my skating competitive at an Olympic level. It is ironic that my skating in these competitions would ultimately keep me out of the Olympics.
As expected, in May 1990 the ISU revised the rules dictating who is eligible to compete in the Olympics. As part of this process, new and contradictory definitions were created. According to the new rules, athletes can now accept appearance fees and receive prize money for competitions, but only in events sanctioned by the ISU. The rules were not “grandfathered.” That means skaters like me who had already competed in nonsanctioned events became ineligible.
These same rules also permit amateurs to earn money from endorsements, commercials, participation in professional ice-skating shows and teaching. These skaters are now able to do all the things I have done as a professional and still retain their eligibility for the Olympics. I am barred from Olympic competition not because I competed for money, but because I did so prior to the 1990 ruling. This is arbitrary and discriminates against past professionals.
I am not disputing that amateur skaters need financial aid in order to become world-class athletes. Few athlete with great potential can afford to devote their lives to their sport without some financial support. What is in question is the fairness of the ruling.
Even as the ISU declares me ineligible other professional athletes are preparing for the upcoming Olympics. Is there a difference between my competing and Michael Jordan being a member of the Olympic basketball team or Mark Spitz a member of the swimming team? Sports such as tennis, hockey, track and field, bobsledding and soccer are composed of professionals. Why not all sports?
I am frustrated and concerned about the inequities among the various sports and within the sport of figure skating itself. It is too late for a rule change to allow me to defend my title and represent America in Albertville. But it is not too late for Olympic skaters in 1994. I hope athletes like me who are willing to take the risks necessary to achieve their personal bests will not be denied the opportunity to compete in the Olympics. When the challenge of the Olympics is open to all athletes, it will strengthen and increase the credibility of the Olympic Games, and the games will truly showcase the best of the best.
