By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
Kim Yu-na will not compete at the Four Continents Championships in her home country later this month.
The Korea Skating Union (KSU) has accepted the figure skating star's decision not to take part at the annual event to be held in Jeonju, North Jeolla Province from Jan. 25 to 30.
The KSU had been under pressure from International Skating Union (ISU) President Ottavio Cinquanta of Italy, who asked the Korean body in a letter to convince Kim to skate in the contest.
In addition, Cinquanta pushed the KSU, referring to ISU rule 136 (6), which allows sanctions against national federations whose skaters do not participate in those ISU events that have TV or commercial contracts.
After winning the World Grand Prix Final title in December, the 19-year-old Olympic favorite made it clear that she would not perform in Jeonju because of her preparation for the Winter Olympic Games.
If Kim participates in the Four Continents, which wraps up 25 days before the women's event at the Olympics begins, she will be forced to make a long trip back to Korea and will likely suffer from jet lag in the weeks leading up to the Games. With the Four Continents championship holding little importance to her in comparison to the Olympics, the choice for Kim to skip the event was obvious.
"Although we are mindful of Cinquanta's request, we will go with our initial roster, comprised of Kwak Min-jung, Kim Na-young and Kim Chae-wha, for the competition,'' a KSU official said.
According to the Los Angeles Times, a KSU official came to Toronto last week to discuss the situation with Kim, her mother and her agent. The federation official accepted their explanation and her decision not to skate at the Four Continents.
"This is a very special situation. I am worried about the ISU's reaction to our roster,'' the official said.
"But as Japan's Mao Asada and Akiko Suzuki will compete, we expect that the talent level at the event will still be high and the ISU will not take the matter seriously."
Asada, one of Kim's biggest rivals, has not performed on the international stage since October when she finished fifth. The Four Continents will serve as a tuneup for the Olympics.
"There has been no precedent for a sanction to be imposed on a skater who chooses not to participate in the Four Continents Championships. We are concerned that Korean skaters or the KSU might be put at a disadvantage in other ways,'' the official said.