Rule Change Allows All-Female Ice Dance Duo to Compete in Finland

"❄️ A landmark moment in figure skating history: Emma Aalto (Finland, 19) and Millie Colling (England, 20) will become Finland’s first same-sex ice dancing team after a groundbreaking rule change by the Finnish Skating Federation.

The federation revised its regulations earlier this year, replacing traditional “man” and “woman” labels with “Skater A” and “Skater B”, making way for greater inclusivity in the sport. The change came after Aalto and Colling submitted a request to compete together.

Their move follows Skate Canada’s 2022 decision to eliminate gender restrictions, and they hope international skating bodies will soon follow suit.
The duo, who met two years ago while skating solo, were inspired by Olympic champions and ice dance legends Madison Hubbell and Gabriella Papadakis, who once performed together to advocate for same-sex partnerships in skating.

Aalto and Colling’s journey marks a powerful step toward equality in figure skating. ⛸✨

✨ What do you think about this historic rule change in figure skating?
Do you believe more countries should allow all-female or same-sex ice dance teams to compete? 💬"