Figure-skating controversy raises questions

When the US Figure Skating Association made the unprecedented decision to ignore the results of the US National Championships last week, choosing fourth-place finisher Ashley Wagner over bronze medalist Mirai Nagasu for a spot on the Sochi Winter Olympic team, critics were quick to question why.

Writing for the Wall Street Journal, Jeff Yang cited Wagner's "flowing blond hair, bellflower-blue eyes and sculpted features" as an embodiment of the "golden girl" sporting archetype.

"Given the dramatic and unprecedented nature of USFS's decision, it's hard not to see other reasons for the slight - conscious or unconscious," Yang wrote. "No one wants to drag the specter of race, jingoism and xenophobia into the arena of sport, but let's face it, in any country versus competition, it's there anyway."

He recalled the 1998 MSNBC headline "American Beats Kwan," announcing Tara Lipinski's nationals win over Chinese American Michelle Kwan, born and raised in California. An earlier Newsweek article had mused on Japanese American Kristi Yamaguchi's ascent in the figure skating world: "What's a good ole boy to do if there's not only a Toyota in the driveway and a Sony in the bedroom and a Mitsubishi in the family room - but on the screen there, as the band plays the 'Star-Spangled Banner,' is the All-American girl of 1992, and her name is Yamaguchi?"

Only four times have national championship medalists been left off the Olympic team, and in each case injury was the deciding factor: Todd Eldredge in 1992, Nancy Kerrigan in 1994, pairs skaters Jenni Meno and Todd Sand in 1998, and Michelle Kwan in 2006.

But Mirai Nagasu performed beautifully at this year's championships, and is the only top US skater to have previously attended the Olympics, finishing fourth at the 2010 Vancouver Games. Her usurper, Ashley Wagner, failed to complete a triple-triple combination jump and fell twice in a program she herself later called "embarrassing."

According to the association's selection procedures, an athlete's body of work in the previous two seasons determines eligibility, and Wagner's performance in seven competitions last year was admittedly more consistent. Wagner, 22, won the championship in 2012 and 2013; Nagasu, 20, was national champion in 2008.

It's worth noting that other Asian Americans were selected for the 2014 Olympic figure skating team, a fact the USFS pointed out itself in an angry denial of Yang's assertions in the Journal article.

"US Figure Skating takes very seriously any implied reference that there was discrimination in the selection," said Barbara Reichert, communications director of the association, in an official statement this week. "USFS firmly stands behind its process, the athlete selection procedures for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, and the selections made regarding the athletes nominated to the team."

The Journal published the statement with a note that Yang should have sought comment from the organization before his commentary was published.

The USFS's categorical denial of Yang's assertions fails to consider the context in which the choice was made, said Scott Kurashige, a professor of Asian American studies at the University of Michigan.

If Nagasu's past record holds more weight than her performance at the Nationals, then the fact that silver medalist Polina Edmunds, 15, is barely age-eligible and has far less of a track record than Nagasu indicates an inconsistent standard, Kurashige said.

"Too often people will cite rules when it favors their choice, and then argue that there needs to be exceptions to the rule when it doesn't favor them," he said. "When there isn't a consistent standard, then it's important to raise questions about subjectivity, and I believe that's what Jeff Yang was attempting to do in his piece. The association didn't answer any of those questions. Rules get used all the time against people of color, in the same way that stereotypes can be used to both downplay successes and to explain failure."

Kurashige pointed to a 2010 New York Times article, in which the rise of Asian Americans in figure skating was attributed to small body types, a diet of rice and fish, and a parental disciplinary style now known as the "Tiger Mother," thanks to Amy Chua.

Nagasu herself disputed the article's argument, claiming that she was much harder on herself than her mother had ever been. The conflating of biological and cultural stereotypes is typical in the way the media has handled coverage of people of color in sports, Kurashige said.

America itself has always struggled with an identity conflict in presenting itself as a beacon of freedom for a diverse range of people, while economic interests have been served best by catering to a white majority, he said. In an event like the Olympics, in which nationalities are pitted against one another, America's blend of cultures has in some cases posed a problem for corporate sponsors at home.

Whether corporate sponsorship may have also played a role in Wagner's selection is worthy of discussion: Wagner is sponsored by Proctor and Gamble; HiltonHonors and Cover Girl, all of whom are major sponsors of the USFSA.

Nagasu, who was photographed crying at an exhibition skate in the days following the announcement, has her share of supporters: The hashtag #MiraiEarnedIt gained momentum over the weekend, and on Tuesday Asiance Magazine petitioned its readers to mount an e-mail campaign to reach committee officials, who have until Jan 27 to finalize the Olympic team roster.

Contact the writer at kdawson@chinadailyusa.com

(China Daily USA 01/23/2014 page2)