The International Skating Union reelected its president Jae Youl Kim to a second four-year term Friday, with the vote occurring during the organization's congress meetings in Tenerife. Kim ran unopposed and was confirmed as the head of the governing body for figure skating and speed skating worldwide.
Kim's reelection comes just months after he became the first ISU representative in 18 years to secure a seat on the International Olympic Committee's executive board, representing winter sports. His term could extend through the 2034 Utah Olympics depending on IOC succession planning.
The timing of the election follows turmoil within the International Ski and Snowboard Federation, where president Johan Eliasch was ousted Thursday after a bruising leadership contest decided by a single vote over concerns about finances and future strategy. Kim had earned the backing of the eight-sport Winter Olympic Federations group in his IOC bid against Eliasch's competing campaign.
What the Right Is Saying
Conservative supporters of Kim's presidency point to his successful navigation of politically sensitive issues, including navigating Russian athlete participation during the ongoing invasion of Ukraine. ISU allowed Russian athletes to attempt to qualify for and compete at the Milan Cortina Olympics while they remain excluded from other championships in a fifth year of sanctions.
Kim, who became the ISU's first non-European president in 2024 after 130 years of European leadership, has framed his approach as balanced. "I want to be able to look back at ISU 20 years from now and then I want to be able to say, 'Hey, we did the right thing,'" he told the Associated Press regarding the Russian participation question.
Those aligned with traditional Olympic governance structures have praised Kim's IOC board position as strengthening winter sports' voice in global decision-making. His background working at Samsung and serving on the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Games organizing committee has been cited as valuable experience for managing international sporting relations.
What the Left Is Saying
Progressive sports governance advocates have welcomed some elements of Kim's platform, particularly his stated commitment to athlete welfare and doubling prize money for next season from $5.4 million to $11.1 million. Athlete organizations have long pushed for greater financial support from international federations.
Kim has emphasized that athletes are "the only assets we have" and pointed to efforts to allow skaters more control over their official images for social media use, addressing a common frustration among Olympic competitors seeking to monetize their own likenesses. The ISU also pledged $2.1 million in additional travel cost support for member federations.
However, some international sports reform advocates who favor stricter governance standards have noted that the unopposed nature of Kim's election limits competitive accountability. Critics of Olympic movement leadership structures often call for more transparent electoral processes with multiple candidates.
What the Numbers Show
The ISU governs eight sports across the Winter Olympic program, including figure skating, speed skating, short track speed skating, and synchronized skating. The organization represents more than 100 member national federations worldwide.
Prize money will increase to $11.1 million next season, up from $5.4 million — a 105% increase. Member federation travel support rises by $2.1 million under the approved budget framework.
Kim studied at Wesleyan University, Johns Hopkins University, and Stanford University before his career at Samsung. He previously led the Korea Skating Union and served on the Pyeongchang organizing committee.
Dutch speed skater Jutta Leerdam has 2.5 million Instagram followers — a figure Kim cited as demonstrating the sport's digital reach potential. American figure skater Alysa Liu won Olympic gold in Milan, while Ilia Malinin, who fell during his free skate and finished off the podium, indicated he plans to compete through the 2034 Salt Lake City Olympics.
The Bottom Line
Kim's uncontested reelection reflects stability in skating governance following upheaval in skiing. His IOC executive board position gives winter sports unprecedented representation at the highest levels of Olympic decision-making as the movement prepares for reviews ahead of potential Salt Lake City hosting rights for 2034.
The doubling of prize money and increased federation support represent tangible financial benefits for athletes and national organizations, though questions remain about governance transparency with single-candidate elections. The Russian athlete question continues without a timeline for resolution, with a newly composed ISU Council tasked to determine "the right time" for a decision on full competitive reinstatement.
What to watch: Whether Kim's IOC influence translates to policy wins for winter sports in Olympic program reviews; how the ISU handles Russian participation discussions as the Ukraine conflict continues; and whether future leadership elections will feature contested candidates as international sports governance faces ongoing scrutiny over accountability structures.