Law 11: Who may compete: eligibility, citizenship, age

A person becomes ineligible by skating or officiating in an international competition not sanctioned by the ISU, or otherwise breaking the eligibility rules, when the Council imposes it.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 7.2.3 · recall

Eligible persons may take part in exhibitions and shows that include ineligible skaters, in line with the conditions set by their own ISU Member.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 7.2.4.2 · applied

Taking part in national competitions and non-competitive events such as shows and appearances is governed only by the rules of the skater's ISU Member, not by the ISU eligibility rules.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 7.2.2.1 · recall

Eligible persons may enter competitions open only to a defined group, such as adult or impaired skaters, with the Council's prior written approval of the competition.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 7.2.4.4 · applied

An official who is or has been ineligible may not serve as a Referee, judge, Technical Controller or in similar roles at Championships, the Olympics or international competitions unless reinstated by the Council.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 7.2.6 · applied

The Council may make a reinstatement effective immediately or after whatever waiting period it considers fit in the circumstances.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 7.3.2 · recall

The competitive season runs from 1 July to 30 June; the ISU calendar is organised over it to limit clashes between competitions.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Articles 7.2.1.8 and 8.4.1 · recall

Reinstatement may be applied for once half of the period of ineligibility has been served, by the person or their Member, only once per sanction and on the official form; the Council then decides.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Articles 7.2.3 and 7.3 · applied

The ISU notifies the person in writing with its reasons, the person may reply in writing within one month of receipt (extendable by a month), and the Council rules on the evidence.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 7.2.5.2-3 · applied

A competition counts as held if at least three competitors entered and two appeared at the start. A: three entered, two started. B had only two entries; C and D had a single starter.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 7.1 · applied

ISU Events and international competitions may be entered only by members of an ISU Member, and only through that Member.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 8.1 · recall

A skater may compete only for the ISU Member of a country of which they are a citizen or in which they have resided for at least one year.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 8.2.1 · recall

Residence for one year means a documented continuous stay of at least 180 days within the past calendar year, reconfirmed every year by the Member.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 8.2.1 · recall

Skaters competing for a Member of a country whose citizenship they do not hold, and skaters changing Member, need a clearance certificate from the ISU Office, applied for through the new Member (synchronized team members aside).

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 8.3 · applied

Within one season, 1 July to 30 June, a skater may skate for only one ISU Member in all ISU Events and international competitions, even across several disciplines.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 8.4.1 · applied

In exceptional cases such as a refugee, stateless or neutral athlete, the Council may enter a competitor for a specific event; such a competitor does not count against any country's quota.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 8.5 · applied

The Council may reject a clearance certificate application even when all formalities are met, if granting it would be detrimental to the development of the sport.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 8.6 · recall

A skater changing Member needs the last Member's permission (not to be unreasonably withheld) and a clearance certificate, and may compete for the new Member only twelve months after last competing for another.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Articles 8.2.3 and 8.3 · applied

Synchro9 skaters must all belong to the entering Member; a Synchro12-16 team of 12 to 14 may include three skaters from other Members with a permit, and one of 15 or 16 may include four.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 8.2.4 · recall

In pair skating and ice dance one partner must be a citizen of the country of the Member, and no citizenship or residence rule applies to the other: B has a circle citizen. A, C and D have none.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 8.2.2 · applied

Senior ISU Events, senior international competitions and the Olympics are open only to skaters who turned 17 before the 1 July preceding the event.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Articles 9.1.1 and 9.3.1 · recall

Senior describes competitions with a minimum age of 17 in the regulations, but it is not used in the title of any ISU Event.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 9.1.2 · recall

A junior must have turned 13 before the 1 July preceding the event; single skaters must not yet have turned 19.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 9.3.2 · recall

Junior pair skaters and ice dancers may be at most seven years apart in age; the man is also over the junior pair limit, as he must not have reached 23.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 9.3.2 · applied

A senior synchronized team is made up of skaters all of whom turned 17 before the 1 July preceding the competition.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 9.4.1 · recall

Basic Novice, in every discipline, is for skaters who had not reached 14 before the 1 July preceding the competition.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 9.3.3 · recall

Members must make sure their entries meet the age rules; a Member that breaks them may lose the right to send skaters to the senior or junior ISU Events and international competitions the following season.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 9.5 · applied

Before the 1 July preceding the event, junior single skaters must not have reached 19, junior ice dancers (women and men) 21, and junior pair skating men 23; junior pair women are capped at 21.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 9.3.2 · recall

Advanced Novice skaters must have reached 10, juniors 13 and seniors 17, each before the 1 July preceding the competition.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Articles 9.3.1-3 · recall

A senior must have turned 17 before the 1 July that precedes the event. Only A's birthday falls before 1 July 2026; B, C and D turn 17 after it, even though C does so before the event itself.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 9.1.1 · applied