Turkmenistan has become a full member of the International Skating Union (ISU), the website Inside the Games reports.

This decision was made at a meeting of the ISU Council in Geneva (Switzerland).

The figure skating department of the National Winter Sports Center of Turkmenistan has received full membership in the ISU. This gives Turkmenistan the right to vote at the ISU Congress and nominate candidates for positions.

Previously, Turkmenistan had been an associate member since 2019, which did not give the right to vote at annual meetings.

The International Skating Union is an international federation that manages skating sports: figure skating, speed skating and short track. It is one of the oldest international sports federations. The purpose of the creation is to establish uniform rules and regulations for skating sports and to organize international competitions.

As of October 2022, the ISU consists of 80 member States.

The most important factor in the development of winter sports in Turkmenistan was the creation of infrastructure — ice arenas. It all started with the opening of the first Ice Palace in 2006 in Ashgabat, where residents of Turkmenistan flocked to just get on skates, try an exotic hobby. Now there are already five ice arenas in the country, within the walls of which international tournaments can be held.