# General Rules, Law 1: Disciplines and the competition (ISU Sports Rules)

Figure Skating · Law 1: Disciplines and the competition · Insporta Book (https://book.insporta.app/figure-skating/laws/general-law-1-disciplines-and-the-competition/)

What the ISU rules say about the disciplines and their segments, the rink a competition needs, the people and papers behind it, the competition day and the call to the start. Shared by single skating, pair skating, ice dance and synchronized skating.

## 1.11 Disciplines and the competition

The disciplines and their segments, the competition rink, the people and papers a competition needs, the competition day and the call to the start.

### Test 1: Disciplines, segments and the rink

- Single and pair skating consist of a Short Program and a Free Skating; the Rhythm Dance, Free Dance and Pattern Dances belong to ice dance. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rules 300.1 and 335 A.1)
- ISU Events, the Olympic Winter Games and the Youth Olympic Games hold ice dance as a Rhythm Dance and a Free Dance. Pattern Dances can be part of other international competitions. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 335 B.1-2)
- International Competitions may run single and pair skating as a Short Program and a Free Skating, or as a Free Skating alone, the latter for seniors only. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 335 A.2)
- Every skater, pair or couple performs a segment alone on the ice surface; women, men, pairs and couples also compete in separate events. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 335 C.b-c)
- The rules define both a pair and an ice dance couple as one woman and one man. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 300.1-2)
- ISU Events, the Olympic Winter Games and the Youth Olympic Games need two covered, closed and heated rinks; other international competitions need at least one covered rink, preferably heated. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 342.2)
- A two-segment event is recommended to run over at least two days but no more than three consecutive days. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 344.1)
- The area should be 60 m by 30 m if possible, never larger, and at least 56 m by 26 m: 26, 30, 56 and 60 m. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 342.1; ISU Sports Rules SYS 2026, Rule 802.1)
- One skater, then a pair of two; in synchronized skating a Synchro9 team has nine skaters and a Synchro12-16 team twelve to sixteen. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 300; ISU Sports Rules SYS 2026, Rule 800.1)
- No official sits on the ice. The judges and the Referee sit at the rinkboard; the raised position is for the Technical Panel, where the arena allows it. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 342.1)

### Test 2: Personnel, papers and the call to the start

- The organiser provides an announcer to summon the competitors and read the scores and results. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 336 a)
- The organiser needs at least one timekeeper for single and pair skating and at least two for ice dance. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 336 b)
- All official communications at ISU Events, the Olympic and Youth Olympic Games and international competitions are published in English. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 345)
- The hosting ISU Member, or the ISU, provides the Referee with a video recording of each segment. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 346)
- The Program Content Sheet is the official form listing the planned elements of each segment. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 349)
- A Program Content Sheet is handed in for every segment of the competition except the Pattern Dances. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 349)
- The Referee deducts 1.0 for a start between one and 30 seconds late, from the final score. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rules 350.2 and 353 1.n)
- The skater is called, takes the starting position, skates, and the announcer then reads the scores. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rules 336 a and 350)
- Events should not start before 9:00 and should finish by 23:00; when both segments fall on one day, at least four hours separate the end of the Short Program from the Free Skating. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 344.2-3)
- The starting position must be taken within 30 seconds of the call; after that a deduction applies, and at 60 seconds the skater is considered withdrawn. (Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 350.2)

Sources: ISU Sports Rules, Single & Pair Skating and Ice Dance, effective 12 June 2026 (Rules 300-350); ISU Sports Rules, Synchronized Skating 2026 (Rules 800-802) where they say the same (paraphrased in original wording; original questions authored from the rules, not reproduced)

Take the tests: https://insporta.app/try?utm_source=book&utm_medium=referral