Embracing Diversity in Figure Skating
Although figure skating has a rich and lengthy history, it has not always been as diverse as today. In the past, the sport was dominated by skaters from certain countries and backgrounds, which made it difficult for other skaters to compete at the highest levels. However, recently, athletes from various ethnicities and experiences are breaking through in the sport, inspiring a new generation of skaters and promoting greater inclusivity.
Figure skaters from Asia and of Asian heritage have significantly impacted the sport, contributing unique styles and techniques. Yuzuru Hanyu is a Japanese figure skater known for his graceful and elegant style and his technical prowess, who has won multiple Olympic and world championships. (Yuzuru Hanyu, n.d.). In 2022, Nathan Chen, Vincent Zhou, and Karen Chen helped lead the U.S. team to an Olympic silver medal, representing the first time all the singles skaters on a medal-winning Olympic team were of Asian American heritage (Asian American Figure Skating Leaders Celebrated | U.S. Figure Skating, 2022). Meanwhile, “the figure skating duo of Isabella Gamez and Alexander Korovin made history as they became the first Filipino and Southeast Asian pair to qualify for the 2023 ISU World Figure Skating Championships” (GMA News Online & GMA News, 2023).
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French figure skater Surya Bonaly competed in the 1990s and helped increase diversity through her athletic ability and acrobatic jumps. She was among the few Black skaters in a sport with predominantly white athletes and often faced criticism and controversy for her unorthodox skating style. However, Bonaly’s impact on the sport cannot be denied. She won multiple European championships and was a three-time Olympian, placing as high as fourth in the 1994 Winter Olympics (“Black Figure Skater Surya Bonaly Broke Down Barriers in the Sport but Was Grossly Underappreciated,” 2022).
Bonaly at the 2000 Winter Goodwill Games in Lake Placid, New York. (Timothy A. Clary/AFP/Getty Images) from HuffPost
Bonaly pushed the boundaries of what was considered acceptable in figure skating. She helped to open doors for skaters like Maé-Bérénice Méité (French figure skater of Ivorian and Congolese descent), Starr Andrews (African American figure skater), and Donovan Carrillo (Mexican figure skater), who have continued to contribute to the sport's growing diversity, inspiring others to pursue figure skating regardless of their racial or ethnic background. In fact, four of our own FSCSM members, Elanza, Nia, Saniah, and Trinity, recently participated in the first all-diverse synchronized skating team aiming to compete in a national championship figure skating competition.
Mexico’s Donovan Carrillo is the first figure skater to represent his country at the Winter Olympics in three decades. (Video: Today)
Biracial figure skater, Elladj Baldé, known for his beautiful and unique routines, uses his talent to fight for inclusion in figure skating. In 2020, Baldé, whose mother is Russian and whose father is Guinean, struggled with racial and gender stereotypes in a “girl sport” perceived as being “white, European, and elitist.” In 2020, he joined several other figure skaters to create the Figure Skating Diversity and Inclusion Alliance, which addresses the lack of representation in the sport (Sims, 2021).
Elladj Baldé (Image via Ernest Ho - Complex.com)
Beyond racial and ethnic representation, the figure skating community has also begun to embrace diversity in other forms. This includes skaters who identify as LGBTQ+. Many of these skaters have brought unique styles and techniques to the sport, adding to its richness and diversity. One example is Eric Radford, a Canadian skater who was part of the first same-sex pairing to win a world championship in figure skating (BBC News, 2018).
Diversity in figure skating promotes inclusivity, encourages innovation, and serves as an inspiration for future generations. Thanks to the ground-breaking skaters who have pushed the sport forward., diversity in the sport has progressed tremendously in recent years. While there is still much work to be done, the increasing representation of skaters from diverse backgrounds is a positive step towards a more inclusive and welcoming sport for all.
References
Asian American Figure Skating Leaders Celebrated | U.S. Figure Skating. (2022, May 16). https://www.usfigureskating.org/news/article/asian-american-figure-skating-leaders-celebrated
BBC News. (2018, February 13). Eric Radford: Skater is first openly gay man to win Winter Olympics gold. BBC News. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-43035476#
Black figure skater Surya Bonaly broke down barriers in the sport but was grossly underappreciated. (2022, February 21). https://scoop.upworthy.com/black-figure-skater-surya-bonaly-broke-down-barriers-grossly-underappreciated
GMA News Online & GMA News. (2023, February 28). Figure skating duo of Gamez, Korovin makes history as first Filipino and Southeast Asian pair to qualify for World Championships | Sports |. GMA News Online. https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/sports/othersports/862298/figure-skating-duo-of-gamez-korovin-makes-history-as-first-filipino-and-southeast-asian-pair-to-qualif/story/
Sims, Megan. (2021, February 5). https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/elladj-balde-figure-skating-030350380.html
Yuzuru Hanyu. (n.d.). Forbes. https://www.forbes.com/profile/yuzuru-hanyu/?sh=26943481a69c