Figure skating at the Olympic Games

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The figure skating pictogram of Olympic sports
The figure skating pictogram of Olympic sports

Figure skating has been contested in the Olympic Games since the 1908 Summer Olympics. In 1908 and 1920, the figure skating competitions were held in conjunction with the Games of the Olympiad. Since 1924, figure skating has been a part of the Winter Olympic Games.

Contents

[edit] Qualifying

The number of entries for the figure skating events at the Olympic Games is limited by a quota set by the International Olympic Committee. There are 30 participants in both singles events (ladies and men), 24 couples in ice dance and 20 in pairs.

Skaters qualify for the Olympic Games by belonging to a Member nation of the International Skating Union. 80% of the alloted places (24 men/ladies, 19 dance couples, 16 pairs) are determined by the results of the previous year's World Figure Skating Championships. The most entries a country can have in a single discipline is three. Countries earn two or three entries by earning points through their skater placement. The points are equal to the sum of the placements of the country's skaters (top two if they have three). If a country only has one skater/team, that skater/team must place in the top ten to earn two entries and in the top two to earn three entries. If a country has two skaters/teams, the combined placement of those teams must be 13 or less to qualify 3 entries, and 28 or less to qualify two entries. The remaining places are awarded to one skater/team each from countries that failed to get multiple places, in order of their skaters placement in the world championships.

Countries that have yet to qualify skater(s) in particular events at the world championships get a second chance in an international competition held in the fall prior to the Olympic Games. From that competition qualify 6 men and women, 5 dance couples and 4 pairs.

The host country of the Olympic Games is entitled to one entry in each event, if it failed to qualify otherwise. In that case, there's one fewer place available in the fall qualifying competition.

Which skaters from each country attend the Olympic Games is at the national governing body's discretion. Some countries rely on the results of their national championships while others have more varied critea based on international success at competitions such as the European Figure Skating Championships and the Four Continents Figure Skating Championships. Selections vary by country.

Skaters must be older than fifteen as of July 1st the previous year and be a citizen of the country they represent to be eligible for the Olympic Games. Nationality rules are less strict for the ISU Championships and therefore sometimes skaters who have competed at World or European championships are not eligible for the Olympics.

[edit] Events

Event 08 12 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 94 98 02 06 Years
Men's singles 22
Men's special figures 1
Ladies' singles 22
Pairs 22
Ice dancing 9
Events 4 0 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 3 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5

[edit] Medal table

See also: List of Olympic medalists in figure skating
 Rank  Nation Gold Silver Bronze Total
1 United States United States (USA) 13 15 16 44
2 Russia Russia (RUS) 12 7 1 20
3 Soviet Union Soviet Union (URS) 10 9 5 24
4 Austria Austria (AUT) 7 9 4 20
5 Great Britain Great Britain (GBR) 5 3 7 15
6 Sweden Sweden (SWE) 5 3 2 10
7 Canada Canada (CAN) 3 7 10 20
8 East Germany East Germany (GDR) 3 3 4 10
9 France France (FRA) 3 2 7 12
10 Norway Norway (NOR) 3 2 1 6
11 Unified Team Unified Team (EUN) 3 1 1 5
12 Germany Germany (GER) 2 2 1 5
13 Germany Germany (EUA) 1 2 0 3
Netherlands Netherlands (NED) 1 2 0 3
15 Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia (TCH) 1 1 3 5
16 Finland Finland (FIN) 1 1 0 2
Japan Japan (JPN) 1 1 0 2
18 West Germany West Germany (FRG) 1 0 2 3
19 Belgium Belgium (BEL) 1 0 1 2
Ukraine Ukraine (UKR) 1 0 1 2
21 Hungary Hungary (HUN) 0 2 4 6
22 Switzerland Switzerland (SUI) 0 2 1 3
23 China China (CHN) 0 1 4 5
24 Italy Italy (ITA) 0 0 1 1

[edit] Participating nations

Event 08 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 94 98 02 06 Years
Argentina Argentina X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 1
Australia Australia - - - - - - - X X X - - - X X X X X X X X X 12
Armenia Armenia - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X - 2
Austria Austria - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X - X X - X - - 16
Azerbaijan Azerbaijan - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X X 3
Belgium Belgium - X X X X X X - - - - - - - - X - - - - X X 9
Belarus Belarus - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X 2
Bulgaria Bulgaria - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X X X X X X 7
Canada Canada - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 20
China China - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X X X X X X X 8
Croatia Croatia - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X X 3
Czechoslovakia Czechoslovakia - - X X X X X - X X X X X X X X X X - - - - 15
Czech Republic Czech Republic - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X - X 3
Denmark Denmark - - - - - - X X - - - - - - - - X X X X - - 6
Estonia Estonia - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - X X X 4
Finland Finland - X X X X X - X X - - - - X X - - X X X X X 14
France France - X X X X - X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 20
Germany Germany X - - X X X - - - - - - - - - - - X X X X X 9
Germany Germany - - - - - - - X X - - - - - - - - - - - - - 2
East Germany East Germany - - - - - - - - - X X X X X X X X - - - - - 8
West Germany West Germany - - - - - - - - - X X X X X X X X - - - - - 8
Great Britain Great Britain X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 22
Hungary Hungary - - - - X X X X X - X X X X X X X X X X X X 17
Israel Israel - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X X X 4
Italy Italy - - - - - X X X X X X X X X X X X - - X X X 15
Japan Japan - - - - X X - - - X X X X X X X X X X X X X 15
Kazakhstan Kazakhstan - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X - - 2
South Korea South Korea - - - - - - - - - - - X X X X X X X X - X - 9
North Korea North Korea - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X - - - X 3
Latvia Latvia - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - - - - 1
Lithuania Lithuania - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X X X X 5
Luxembourg Luxembourg - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - X 2
Mexico Mexico - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - - - - - 1
Netherlands Netherlands - - - - - X - X X X X - X X - - - - - - - - 7
Norway Norway - X X X X X X X - - X - - - - - - - - - - - 8
Poland Poland - - - - - - - - - - - X X X - X X X X X X X 10
Romania Romania - - - - - X - - - - - X X - - - - - X X X X 7
South Africa South Africa - - - - - - - - - X - - - - - - - - X - - - 2
Russia Russia X - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X X X 5
Serbia and Montenegro Serbia and Montenegro - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X 1
Slovenia Slovenia - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X X 3
Spain Spain - - - - - - - - X - - - - - X - X - X X - - 5
Sweden Sweden X X X X X X - X X - X X X - X X X - - X - X 16
Switzerland Switzerland - X X X - X X X X X X X X X X X X - X X X X 19
Soviet Union Soviet Union - - - - - - - - - X X X X X X X X - - - - - 8
Unified Team Unified Team - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X - - - - 1
United States United States X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X 22
Uzbekistan Uzbekistan - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X X X 4
Yugoslavia Yugoslavia - - - - - - - - - - - - - - X X X - - - - - 3
Nations 6 8 11 12 13 16 12 15 15 15 16 17 18 18 20 20 25 24 27 36 30 33
Year 08 20 24 28 32 36 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80 84 88 92 94 98 02 06 22

[edit] References

[edit] External links