# Ice Skating Rules

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-skating-rules/287429>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 30, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-skating-rules/287429 "2005-01-30T15:49:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Ponster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponster/32/17081_2.png) [@Ponster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponster)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2005, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-skating-rules/287429/1 "2005-01-30T15:49:32Z")

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IN the World Ice Skating competition there’s a section for couples (usually the most watched on TV I think).

Does this ‘couple’ have to be a man and woman or could it be two men (or two women)?

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**Author:** ![chukhung](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@chukhung](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chukhung)\
**Post date:** [January 30, 2005, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ice-skating-rules/287429/2 "2005-01-30T16:08:13Z")

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As I understand it, the rules for international skating competitions are set by the [International Skating Union](http://www.isu.org/). This [link](http://www.isu.org/vsite/vfile/page/fileurl/0,11040,4844-160823-178038-80283-0-file,00.pdf) points to a very large PDF file with the current regulations for singles and pair skating. Rule 302, section 5 states

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> The composition of a pair must be one lady and one man.

This [link](http://www.isu.org/vsite/vfile/page/fileurl/0,11040,4844-161654-178869-81791-0-file,00.pdf) points to an even larger PDF file with the current regulations for ice dancing. Rule 500, section 2B states

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> The composition of an Ice Dance couple must be one lady and one man.