I really should take a holiday from writing about figure skating for a while, I know. But again, just to follow up on something I wrote before, Michelle Kwan was selected to the US Olympic team this evening, despite the fact that she has not really competed this season.
There is not really any justification given for the decision, and there cannot be, since the decision is made by vote of a 36-member committee. However, the commitee is going to make at least a show of collecting some objective information. Kwan's petition stated:
I would be pleased if representatives of USFS attended and observed my practice session in Los Angeles, California on or about January 20th and a run through of my short and long programs, again in California, on January 27th or 28th. The purpose of the latter would be to assure the USFS observers that my programs contain the technical elements necessary for an Olympic level performance, and to give further assurances to the USFS that my prior injury will not prevent me from being physically ready to compete at the highest level at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games on February 21, 2006. Should those USFS representatives, after observing my short and long programs on January 27th or 28th, determine, in their sole discretion, that my programs do not contain the technical elements necessary for an Olympic level performance, or that my prior injury will prevent me from being physically ready to compete at the highest level at the 2006 Winter Olympic Games on February 21, 2006, I will withdraw from the team.
The USFSA has assigned a five-member monitoring committee, including three international judges, "that will have sole discretion and make a final determination on Kwan's status no later than Jan. 27."
The third-place skater bumped by Kwan was Emily Hughes. Hughes becomes the first alternate and will compete in Turin in the case that Kwan is deemed unready, which may happen "no later than January 27."
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