Figure skating plans facing challenges
Published:Sunday | April 25, 2021 | 12:30 AMLivingston Scott - Sunday Gleaner Writer
President of the Jamaica Skiing Federation (JSF), Richard Salm, said efforts are still ongoing to establish a Jamaica Figure Skating Federation, in order to get a number of overseas-based youngsters to compete under the nation’s banner.
He revealed that he has been working with president of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), Christopher Samuda, to get the name Jamaica On Ice (JOI) approved, but efforts are being stalled by the Jamaica Registrar of Companies.
Jamaica currently has three very promising young figure skaters in twins Danielle and Gabrielle Scott, and 10-year-old sensation, Diane Burkle, all from Florida, USA.
However, the country needs to have a national federation in order for the athletes to compete under the nation’s flag.
Attempts to have the association registered as the Jamaica Figure Skating Federation were blocked by the registrar office because a Canadian-based organisation already has that name.
As a result, the name Jamaica On Ice (JOI) was proposed, but that process has been slowed because personnel from the Registrar of Companies have questioned the context of the name.
Nevertheless, he says he is hoping to get a reply very soon and is expecting a positive one.
“We need to get a national federation in order for them to represent Jamaica, but we are having problems forming a national skating federation because some Canadians took the name Jamaica Figure Skating Federation, so we cannot form a Jamaica Figure Skating Federation because someone else has the name.
NAME TROUBLES
“We applied for another name to Mr Samuda, the president of the Jamaica Olympic Association, and he is having trouble trying to get the name approved by the Jamaica Registrar of Companies, because they are saying it sounds too much like the name of an ice cream,” he added.
According to Salm, the Canada-based organisation is not recognised by the JOA and cannot enter athletes in Jamaica’s name. Nevertheless, getting the national association registered is just the first step.
It is the three young skaters’ dream to participate in the Olympics, but their path could be blocked by the rule, which requires a country to have a skating rink in order to qualify.
Salm said he has been advocating for the rule to be abolished and he has written to the International Skating Union in this regard.
All efforts to contact Samuda were unsuccessful.