Figure Ice Skating

The age requirements have faced criticism. During the 2005–2006 season, Mao Asada was age-eligible to compete at the Grand Prix Final, where she claimed the title, but she was not permitted to compete at the Olympics. The United States was forced to send to the 2008 World Championships skaters who had placed 5th and 7th at nationals because Mirai Nagasu and Rachael Flatt were too young. Flatt missed the cutoff by three weeks and Russian champion Adelina Sotnikova missed it by a few hours. The ISU has strictly enforced the rules in recent years, but in the past exceptions were made, such as to allow Natasha Kuchiki to compete at the 1990 World Figure Skating Championships when she was two years too young.
As in gymnastics, skating has experienced controversy surrounding possible age falsification. On February 14, 2011, questions emerged surrounding nine Chinese skaters. The Associated Press found that birthdates listed on the Chinese skating association's website suggested five female skaters, Sui Wenjing, Zhang Dan, Yu Xiaoyu, Geng Bingwa, and Xu Binshu, were younger than their stated ages, and four male skaters, Han Cong, Zhang Hao, Jin Yang, and Gao Yu, were older. The dates disappeared from the website by February 15. On February 17, the ISU said there were no discrepancies for Zhang Dan, Zhang Hao, and Xu Binshu between the birthdates listed on their passports, ISU registration forms and the Chinese Olympic Committee's website. Athletes in China sometimes face pressure to falsify their age.
• Other eligibility rules
Skaters may represent a country of which they are not yet a citizen in most competitions, except the Olympics which require citizenship.