ISU threatens Rochette with loss of amateur eligibility

Joannie Rochette, Canada's Olympic heroine who secured a bronze medal just days after her mother died of a heart attack, has been "warned" by International Skating Union President Ottavio Cinquanta that her amateur status could be revoked if she participates in an exhibition this week but skips the World Championships next week.

Really, ISU? Really?

It's a miracle that Rochette was able to perform in Vancouver two days after learning of her mother's passing, let alone win a bronze medal and significantly boost North American viewership of the Games. Is it really too much to ask that she be able to skate a final exhibition program in honor of her late mother this Friday during the "Thin Ice" TV event and skip the Worlds next week? Since returning home from Vancouver, she probably hasn't had a moment's rest and needs time to properly grieve for her loss.

The ISU should be grateful that most of the Olympic stars will be attending Worlds next week in Torino, Italy. Gold medalist Yu-Na Kim and silver medalist Mao Asada will be attending, as are men's medalists Evgeni Plushenko and Daisuke Takahashi and the top two teams in ice dance, Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir, and Meryl Davis and Charlie White.

While Rochette will no doubt be missed next week, she needs time to heal. Perhaps the ISU's (at times incompetent) big-wigs should be more focused on finding out how a third Chinese team was illegally allowed to compete at last week's Junior World Championships than Rochette's simple request to sit-out Worlds.

Let's prioritize things, Ottavio.