The ISU’s first Head of Officials discusses data-driven judge selection for 2027 Worlds, computer vision and expanded education for officials.

The International Skating Union (ISU) will use judging data to help select judges for the 2027 World Figure Skating Championships. Emilie Billow, the organization’s first Head of Officials for figure skating, discussed the initiative during a media roundtable on October 12, 2026, ahead of the Grand Prix season.

Appointed in June 2026, Billow works to strengthen the development, education, evaluation and appointment of officials. She collaborates with the ISU’s technical committees, leadership and office.

Billow said she brings nearly 30 years of experience in figure skating and began her international officiating career in 2008. She has served as an ISU referee, judge and technical controller, officiated at the 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, and spent four years on the ISU Technical Committee for Singles and Pairs. She also has a background in teaching and a university degree in marketing.

“Consistency, quality and transparency” were the central themes of her opening remarks.

Fairness and Consistency in Judging

“Athletes dedicate years of their life to reach the highest level of our sport, and they must have the confidence that their performances are assessed fairly and consistently,” Billow said.

She described judging as a key part of the ISU’s ongoing transformation. The organization wants to make skating more athlete-focused and transparent while preserving the traditions that make the sport unique.

“Our goal is not to take the human element out of judging. It is to strengthen the consistency and transparency while preserving the human expertise and artistry that are the heart of our sport.”

Billow outlined three priorities: professionalization, data-driven evaluation and technological innovation.

“We want to ensure that every athlete can compete with confidence, knowing that fairness, consistency and integrity remain the heart of our sport,” Billow said.

Data to Inform Judge Selection

The ISU has developed a judging-data analysis system in collaboration with Maelstrom. The organization’s 2026 Congress report says the analysis covers 84 competitions over the past three seasons and more than 500 judges.

During the media roundtable, Billow provided further details about the data. She said the analysis included more than 800,000 element marks and approximately 290,000 program component marks from 84 international events.

According to the ISU’s public report, the system assesses scoring accuracy, consistency and fairness. The analysis is intended to help the organization understand judging patterns and make evidence-based decisions.

“Starting this season, this data will support the selection of judges for the ISU World Figure Skating Championships 2027,” Billow said.

The ISU plans to extend the approach to other major events in the coming seasons.

A journalist asked whether the initiative would eventually cover Challenger Series events, citing what they described as questionable judging results at some competitions.

Billow acknowledged that improving consistency would take time. She said the current focus remains on ISU events.

“We really want to improve in the consistency,” she said. “This is a process. So we’re really moving as fast as we can. And we are focusing on the ISU events.”

Technology and Education for Officials

The ISU is working with Swiss Timing to develop and test Smart Vision technology, which uses computer vision to support officiating. The project has undergone two seasons of testing at selected figure skating events and is entering its third season.

During the roundtable, a journalist asked how the technology could help officials assess jump rotations and whether a single camera angle could provide sufficient information. Billow confirmed that the system under development uses multiple cameras.

She emphasized that the technology will support officials rather than replace them.

“We will not replace the human expertise. There will still be officials officiating the competitions, but it will be a helping tool for them to be more consistent, and that’s the goal for us,” she said.

Billow said artistry, creativity and musical interpretation will continue to be judged by people. She described the technology as a work in progress but did not announce a timetable for its full implementation.

Education is another priority. A journalist raised concerns about the narrow range of program component scores often used by judges and asked how the ISU could encourage them to use more of the available scale.

Billow pointed to education and evaluation as key areas for improvement. She said officials need tools to practice their assessments and the confidence to perform at the highest level.

“They are practicing for many, many hours to be able to perform very well. We need to do the same as judges, as officials,” she said.

She wants to provide officials with more educational resources, including in-person and online seminars. She also hopes to change seminar formats and expand the curriculum beyond the assessment of elements and program components.

“There’s so much more to bring in and to give and to enhance the education for the officials,” she said.

Billow also addressed the possibility of professional judging positions. A journalist asked whether the ISU might eventually employ some judges full-time, similar to other sports.

Billow called professionalization an important issue but did not announce plans to introduce full-time positions.

“How can we make them more consistent? How can we really make them the best of the best? That’s my role,” she said. “So, it’s on my table and I just started.”

Billow also stressed the link between education and accountability.

“Accountability goes hand in hand with education,” she said.

For Billow, the challenge is to strengthen the systems behind figure skating judging without losing the human expertise that makes the sport unique. Data analysis, technology and expanded education are intended to help officials make more consistent assessments while preserving the artistic judgment at the heart of figure skating.

“We want to ensure that every athlete can compete with confidence, knowing that fairness, consistency and integrity remain the heart of our sport,” Billow said.

Paula Slater

Paula is the founder of Golden Skate, which she launched in 1999. She has followed figure skating for more than four decades and has covered the Olympic Winter Games, ISU World Championships, and numerous other international competitions. A retired U.S. Army veteran with a bachelor's degree in psychology, Paula is dedicated to delivering accurate journalism, in-depth athlete interviews, and comprehensive resources that serve the global figure skating community.