Following the decision of the 56th Ordinary ISU Congress to create a new Development Commission, the ISU Council has made it a priority to appoint the three ISU Development Commission members in the person of Susanna Rahkamo (FIN), Jildou Gemser (NED), and Tatsuro Matsumura (JPN).
On October 26th 2016, the ISU President Jan Dijkema, Vice Presidents Tron Espeli and Alexander Lakernik, the Director General Fredi Schmid and the Development Administrator/Internal Controller Rafael Saya, met with the newly appointed Development Commission for the first time for a Development Commission Kick-off meeting in Geneva. The purpose of this meeting was to prepare the implementation of the provisions and procedures outlined in ISU Communication No. 2052 and to review the ongoing and pending Development Projects. During the meeting and in line with the ISU Constitution, Article 24, the Development Commission also discussed and decided upon its Coordinator in the person of Susanna Rahkamo.
ISU Development Program
The ISU Development Program was established in 1996 as an essential tool for the promotion and development of the ISU sports. It is the ISU’s global initiative to improve the skating activities of ISU Members in a sustainable way. The ISU provides frameworks, funding and facilitation to ensure that Figure Skating and Speed Skating are meaningful for current and future generations worldwide. The Program has the following specific objectives:
- To increase the numbers and improve the quality of Skaters, Coaches, and Officials engaged in competitive international Figure Skating and Speed Skating.
- To increase the number of ISU Members able to develop Skaters who are competitive at the international level, both at the highest level and at the level of qualifying for ISU Events and ISU disciplines at the Olympic Winter Games.