Law 2: The officials: who decides what

Figure skating officials are listed either as ISU officials or as International officials, and the category decides which competitions they may serve at.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 14.2.1 · recall

At the Olympic Winter Games, ISU Championships and the Grand Prix Finals, the judges, Referee and Technical Panel must all be ISU officials.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 14.2.1 (chart) · recall

An ISU Referee is automatically entitled to serve as an ISU or International Judge in the same discipline.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430 General c · applied

At ISU Events, the Olympic and the Youth Olympic Games, the Referee, the Technical Controller and the Technical Specialists must not come from the same ISU Member, and all must be ISU officials.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 420.4 a; ISU Sports Rules SYS 2026, Rule 831.2 a · applied

In offline marking without a Technical Panel, the Technical Judges record the elements and their GOE, and the Performance Judges award the Program Components only.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 352.4 a (ii) · applied

The panel splits into at most two Technical Judges and, if possible, no more than three Performance Judges.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 352.4 a (i) · recall

Without a separate Referee, one of the Technical Judges acts as Referee and alone decides the deductions that are the Referee's.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 352.4 a (iii) · applied

One Technical Controller, two Technical Specialists, and a panel of at least five judges where possible, up to nine; ISU Championships use nine per segment.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rules 420.2 and 521.1 a · recall

The officials' marking sheets are collected after each performance, the data is entered or the sums are done by hand, and the results are then calculated as for online marking.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 352.4 c · applied

No ISU Member may hold the majority of the judges on a panel; panel A has three judges of five from one federation.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rules 420.4 c (iii) and 420.6 · applied

The Referee decides whether the ice permits the event and may alter the shape and size of the skating surface when circumstances are unfavourable.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430.1 · applied

The Referee conducts all the draws for the starting order (and, in ice dance, for the Pattern Dances). Calling, entering and recording elements belong to the Technical Specialists and the Data and Replay Operators.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430.1 and 430.5-6 · recall

If the public interrupts the competition or interferes with its orderly conduct, the Referee suspends the skating until order is restored.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430.1 · applied

Removing a judge from the panel is the Referee's power, based on important and valid reasons.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430.1 · recall

Medical appliances containing metal or hard plastic are approved in advance by the Referee together with the medical advisor or competition physician.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430.1; ISU CER 2026, Article 17.8 · applied

The Referee times the program as skated and any interruptions, assisted by a timekeeper (in ice dance a second timekeeper helps with the Dance Lifts).

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430.1 · recall

The Referee may accept another rink for holding the event, in agreement with the hosting ISU Member or its affiliated club.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430.1 · recall

The Initial Judges Meeting comes before the competition starts, the Pre-Event Meeting immediately before it begins, and the closed Round Table Discussion after the discipline, no later than the following day.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 431.1-2 · recall

The draw sets the starting order before the segment, the warm-up precedes the skating, the programs are timed as skated, and the Referee's report follows the event.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rules 430.1 and 433 · applied

The Referee forbids any coach to be on any part of the ice surface of the competition rink during the competition; skater A is the one performing, C and D are off the ice.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430.1 · applied

Judges are told to use the whole range of Grade of Execution values and Program Component marks.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430.2 · recall

Judges mark independently and, while judging, do not converse with another judge or signal errors by action or sound.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430.2 · recall

If both Technical Specialists disagree with a correction asked for by the Technical Controller, their initial decision stands.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430.3 · applied

When the two Technical Specialists disagree about an element, a level, an illegal element or a fall, the Technical Controller's decision prevails.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430.3 · applied

The Technical Specialists identify and call the performed elements and their levels, identify falls and illegal elements, and delete additional elements.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430.5 · recall

The Data Operator inputs the called elements and levels and makes corrections when the Technical Controller instructs.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430.6 · recall

The Replay Operator records each element separately so that the Technical Panel, the Referee and the judges can review it when needed.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430.6 · recall

The Technical Specialists call, the Data Operator inputs, and an element may be validated only once the Technical Controller has confirmed that it was entered correctly.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430.3, 430.5 and 430.6 · applied

The Initial Technical Panel Meeting is held before the competition starts, a meeting precedes every segment, and the closed Technical Panel Discussion follows the discipline, no later than the next day.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rules 430.3 and 432 · recall

Costume and prop deductions follow the majority of the whole panel, judges and Referee together; a 50:50 split, as here at five to five, means no deduction.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430.1-2 · applied

Anyone paid by the owners or management of an ice show or exhibition tour may not serve as a Referee, Technical Controller, Technical Specialist or judge at ISU Events or international competitions.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 14.6.2 · applied

Officials base marks and decisions only on the performance, not on reputation or past performance, and disregard public applause or disapproval.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430 General f · recall

Coaches, like paid employees of ISU Members and their clubs, may not serve as Referees, Technical Controllers or judges at ISU Events or international competitions.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 14.6.3 · applied

A family member of a competing skater may not serve as an official of the competition in which that skater is entered, but may serve in other competitions of the same event.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 14.6.12.2 c · applied

Referees, Technical Controllers, Technical Specialists and judges may not compete in ISU Events and international competitions of their discipline, except in Adult and Masters competitions.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 14.6.6 · applied

Ineligible skaters may serve as Technical Specialists and as Data and Replay Operators, while all ISU officials otherwise have to be eligible persons.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Articles 14.6.1 and 14.6.4 · applied

Technical Controllers, Technical Specialists, Referees, judges and Data and Replay Operators may not be full-time sports journalists or full-time TV commentators.

Source: ISU CER 2026, Article 14.6.10 · recall

Officials do not talk to the media except through the Referee, who acts as the officials' spokesperson should the need arise.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430 General f and 430.1 · applied

National officials at novice categories of international competitions are 21 to 75 years old; working more than 25 paid hours a week for a federation or club makes someone a paid employee, who may not judge.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 420.5; ISU CER 2026, Article 14.6.3 · recall

Mobile phones, tablets and smart watches must be switched off on the officials' stand; judge C has a phone in hand. A screen of the scoring system and a glass of water are allowed.

Source: ISU Sports Rules S&P/ID 2026, Rule 430 General f · applied