Grand Prix Final with 6 or 8 competitors using only the best result for the qualification

It's worth remembering that the only precedent (back in 2001) concerns the Junior Grand Prix, which is based on different assumptions (in fact, there are no invitations in the JGP, but each federations has a number of entries for each event). Since the tragic events of 9/11 the US JGP event was canceled, but they made sure that the athletes who skipped the US GP could compete in one of the following six events, so that each Federation wouldn't lose their entries.

In these hours, many assumptions have been made to try and overcome this problem, some of course more plausible than others. Given the current situation, it is rightful to try to analyze various options to see which would be the least penalizing one.

A) INVITING THE ATHLETES SCHEDULED IN BORDEAUX IN ONE OF THE REMAINING GRAND PRIX

Impossible hypothesis, because there would be no time to have visas for the skaters and there would be budget problems for the organizing committees. Moreover, the average level of the two events would increase dramatically, with a consequent clear disadvantage for the partecipants.



B) MOVE TEB TO ANOTHER COUNTRY OR HOLD IT AGAIN IN BORDEAUX THE WEEK BEFORE GPF

Another impossible option, because of costs issues, plant availability and the time to obtain visas for the skaters which varies from country to country.



C) TURNING THE “GOLDEN SPIN” IN ZAGREB (2-5 DECEMBER) IN A GP EVENT

Again, difficult to realize because of all the issues explained before. It would take a massive financing from ISU and skaters who were originally scheduled to compete in that event of the ISU Challenger Series will have to reconsider their plans for the season.



D) WAITING FOR 3 DAYS (AS FRANCE CANCELED EVERY SPORT EVENT FOR THREE DAYS) AND THEN HAVING THE FREE SKATES PERFORMED IN BORDEAUX

This is an appealing solution, but also prohibitive for logistical reasons, flights, accommodation and expenses paid by the organizing committee. In addition to that, they would have to make sure that the venue would still be available and not booked for another event.



E) TAKING THE SP RESULTS AS OFFICIAL FINAL RESULTS OF THE ENTIRE EVENT AND ASSIGNING PTS FOR THE GP STANDINGS ACCORDINGLY

This option is the most invalidating for the skaters, because those who had a bad SP would be in a difficult position or event mathematically out of the finals. People like Elizaveta Tuktamysheva, for example, would be deprived of the chance to redeem themselves in the free skate climbing up in the final ranking of the event. Moreover, it could create huge issues with the tie-breaking in case some skaters were in the same position with the same points in the ranking.



F) TAKING INTO ACCOUNT ONLY THE BEST RESULT OBTAINED BY EACH SKATER/COUPLE.
In this case, everyone will be on par, but some skaters would have the advantage of having competed in two events instead of only one. Given the emergency situation, this could be the most plausible and fair solution. This option may be developed in several ways, for example, taking into account the best placement and the highest score obtained in each program, or possibly even finding a criteria that would consider both. Logic would dictate to take the best placement obtained as the first tie-breaking and the best scores as the second. Again, given the emergency situation, they could consider to extend the Final to eight skaters/couple. Yes, the costs for the organizing committees would be a little higher and even the logistics might be more complicated, but this would make a major step forward towards the athletes and the audience.



The proposition F seems the most reasonable and also the one that would guarantee the best for the regularity of the entire event.