Cinquanta to Step Down as International Skating President

Ottavio Cinquanta has announced his intention to step down from his position as President of the International Skating Union (ISU) in 2016. The decision will mean he will also lose his role as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Cinquanta has held his position at the ISU since 1994 and will be 78 by 2016. He told AFP that he felt it was time to move on.

He said: “I will remain President until 2016, when there will be a new election.

“Then another election will be held in 2018 to start on an Olympic cycle.

“I will no longer be a candidate.

“I realised that I had now give way to others, but I will remain available to help.”

Under Cinquanta’s presidency the ISU has greatly increased its commercial income, increased the number of televised events and introduced prize money for the leading competitors.

He was also a driving force behind the new scoring system introduced in 2002, which he claimed would allow scores to be significantly less affected by subjectivity.