As he finishes his second term on the ISU Athletes Commission, Eric Radford joined me to talk about how skaters can use their voices to impact decision-making.

Eric Radford is the 2018 Olympic Bronze medalist in Pairs and the gold medalist in the team event, as well as a two-time World Champion. In 2019, he was elected as the singles and pairs representative for the ISU Athlete Commission. In 2022 he was elected chair of the commission, and served on the ISU Council until May 2025.

YouTube: https://youtu.be/qY0jK1254pc

Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1AJk0YWXs6OBlMd8RkBCmDV-nLNkZDN_e9YlOJAh0xtA/edit?tab=t.0

You can follow Eric on Instagram at @ ericradford85

You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or Instagram @futurefspodcast

You can also support the podcast by making a one-time or recurring contribution at Ko-Fi.com/futureoffigureskating.

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ISU Athlete Commission

https://isu.org/athletes-commission/

Communication 2427: 2021 Election Procedures

Communication 2763: 2026 Election Procedures

Recommended listening:

Episode Rob Koehler, Global Athlete: https://youtu.be/j4pGmeyfMqk

Episode 38: Elizabeth Ramsey, Team USA Athlete Commission: https://youtu.be/7MZRvvdw7Gg

Episode 53: Evan Bates, ISU AC Rep for Ice Dance: https://youtu.be/W_0pfpjkHh0
Article on music rights: “Making Music in Skating Legal”

Erica Rand has just published a new book called ‘Skating Away from the Binary’, which looks at our skating and our struggle to be allowed to compete as a gender-nonconforming pair team, and examines issues around gender binaries, sports, and politics in a very accessible way.

As well as being my pairs partner and friend, Erica is a professor of Art and Visual Culture and of Gender and Sexuality Studies at Bates College. Many of her courses concern the intersections of gender, race, and sexuality—including a course called Queer and Trans Sports Studies. A longtime activist and cultural critic, Erica has written on topics ranging from Barbie to Ellis Island, and has used her experience as an adult figure skater and group-lessons coach to help her think and write about opening up sport and movement for all.

Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZJtaqOxw0iczfAoyGiiY94Z-fqo8yh3ZX0GvLPTzxm0/edit?tab=t.0

You can order “Skating Away from the Binary” through the University of Minnesota Press: https://www.upress.umn.edu/9781517920555/skating-away-from-the-binary/

Links:
More about Erica: https://www.bates.edu/faculty/profile...

Erica’s first book skating book, “Red Nails, Black Skates”
https://www.dukeupress.edu/red-nails-...

Riki Wilchins, When Texas Came for Our Kids
/ when-texas-came-for-our-kids

You can reach me with comments or suggestions for people I should talk to by email at fsfuturepodcast @ gmail.com or instagram at futurefspodcast.

You can also support the podcast by making a one-time or recurring contribution at Ko-Fi.com/futureoffigureskating.

Dr Ami Parekh made history as the first skater to represent India at the World Championships. She now works as a physical medicine and rehabilitation doctor. She is passionate about helping skaters be healthy at all stages of their career, and frequently works as the medical director at competitions. Ami is also the Executive Director of the Chicago Youth Foundation, an organization which brings figure skating and hockey to underserved communities.

https://youtu.be/MOouEgSLzfA

Transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_4p7mYDm2plc2yYwI5Wfy3eZ34-LYqxgrmfcpRyqMe4/edit?usp=sharing

You can reach me with comments or suggestions for topics and people I should talk to, by email at fsfuturepodcast@gmail.com or Instagram @futurefspodcast If you appreciate the podcast, you can also support my work with a one-time or monthly contribution at ko-fi.com/futureoffigureskating

https://www.chicagoyouthfoundation.org/

Ami Parekh India Worlds 2007 Short program

Ami Parekh INDIA "Raga Jazz" 2014 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships Taipei, Tawain

Ami Parekh - 2013 Four Continents Figure Skating Championships,Osaka LP

Chicago Youth Foundation on local news

https://youtu.be/gxh4fainK48?si=Nh4SUqgRtq2S-ZrQ

Bharatnatyam on Ice:

https://www.facebook.com/thebetterindia/videos/2879877888944953/?rdid=TZ6lsbLjUvDlB3Fn

Meryl and Charlie Bollywood OD 2010

https://youtu.be/Pn37SMb_5NM?si=4VaNIB2TsuvT4baW

Tara Prasad

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/2cQ4QjTNEAw

Kat Arbour, Ice Dynamics off-ice training

https://icedynamics.app/

Helmet Safety

https://youtube.com/shorts/DFwCupGDqtQ?si=SQUNu4LUFmu4cpUz

Early specialization and talent development in figure skating: Elite coaches’ perspectives https://ciss-journal.org/article/view/8744/13311

Health Consequences of Youth Sport Specialization https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6805065/