Editing Brian Boitano (section)

==Figure skating career==
===Early career===
Beginning skating as a child, Brian Boitano won a gold medal at the Junior U.S. Championships in 1978 and first made his mark on the international scene when he won the bronze medal at the 1978 [[World Junior Figure Skating Championships]], beating future rival [[Brian Orser]] for that medal.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Smith |first=Beverley |title=A Year in Figure Skating |year=1997 |publisher=McClelland & Stewart |isbn=0-7710-2755-9 |url-access=registration |url=https://archive.org/details/yearinfigureskat00beve}}</ref><ref name=":3">{{Cite book |last=Hines |first=James R. |url=https://archive.org/details/historicaldictio0000hine/mode/1up?view=theater |title=Historical Dictionary of Figure Skating |date=2011 |publisher=Scarecrow Press |isbn=978-0-8108-6859-5 |location=Lanham, Maryland |page=42}}</ref>

Early in his career, Boitano was known primarily for his jumping. He, along with several other skaters, helped push the technical envelope of men's skating. In 1982, Boitano became the first American to land a [[Axel jump|triple Axel]]. In 1987, he introduced his signature jump, the 'Boitano triple [[lutz jump|Lutz]]', in which the skater raises his left arm above his head.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |url=https://www.teamusa.org/News/2018/February/19/Brian-Boitano-Looks-Back-On-The-Battle-Of-The-Brians-On-30th-Anniversary-Of-Olympic-Gold |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180220101511/https://www.teamusa.org/News/2018/February/19/Brian-Boitano-Looks-Back-On-The-Battle-Of-The-Brians-On-30th-Anniversary-Of-Olympic-Gold |url-status=dead |archive-date=February 20, 2018 |title=Brian Boitano Looks Back On 'The Battle Of The Brians' On 30th Anniversary Of Olympic Gold |last=Rosen |first=Karen |date=February 19, 2018 |website=Team USA |access-date=June 13, 2019}}</ref> He attempted a quadruple jump throughout the 1986–87 season and at the 1988 [[World Figure Skating Championships]], but did not cleanly land the jump; he double-footed the landing on two occasions.

At the 1983 World Championships, he became the first skater to ever land all six triple jumps in competition.<ref name=":0" /> He would eventually include and successfully land eight triple jumps in his free skate program,<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8p3EhqI94s&t=95s |title=Video 1988 Winter Olympic Free Skate Program|website=[[YouTube]] |date=May 4, 2017 }}</ref> the maximum number possible (see [[Zayak rule]]). He would jump two flip jumps and two triple Axels to compete with his rival, Brian Orser, who jumped one triple flip and one triple Axel.<ref name=":0" /> It was not until failing to defend his World title in 1987 that Boitano focused specifically on improving his artistry. Toward this end, he worked with renowned choreographer [[Sandra Bezic]].<ref name=":0" />

Boitano placed second at the 1984 [[United States Figure Skating Championships]], earning a place in the [[1984 Winter Olympics]]. He placed 5th at the Olympics, setting the stage for his success over the next four years.

===World Champion===
Following the 1984 Olympics, several skaters emerged as likely medal hopes following the retirement of [[Scott Hamilton (figure skater)|Scott Hamilton]].

Boitano won the 1985 [[United States Figure Skating Championships]], the first of his four titles.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Eighties {{!}} U.S. Figure Skating |url=https://www.usfigureskating.org/eighties |access-date=2023-05-05 |website=www.usfigureskating.org |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":3" /> At the first [[1985 World Figure Skating Championships|World Championships]] of the post-Hamilton era in 1985, [[Alexander Fadeev (figure skater)|Alexander Fadeev]] won, with [[Brian Orser]] finishing in second place and Boitano in third place. He had injured tendons in his right ankle a few weeks before the 1986 U.S. Championships but went on to win his second national title.<ref name=si021786>{{cite magazine |url=http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1064528/1/index.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104113530/http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1064528/1/index.htm |url-status=dead |archive-date=November 4, 2012 |title=Books Or Blades, There's No Doubting Thomas |first=E.M. |last=Swift |date=February 17, 1986 |magazine=[[Sports Illustrated]] |access-date=June 18, 2011}}</ref> At the [[1986 World Figure Skating Championships|1986 World Championships]], Boitano took the title,<ref name=":3" /> while Fadeev had a disastrous free skate despite having been in an excellent position to win; Orser finished in second place once again.

During the 1986–87 season, Boitano had introduced three new elements to his programs: the 'Tano triple [[lutz jump|lutz]] and a quadruple [[toe loop jump|toe loop]], as well as wearing a blindfold, although he never succeeded in landing a clean quadruple jump in competition. The 1987 World Championships were held in [[Cincinnati]], giving the defending world champion a home-field advantage. The outcome of the event would set the tone for the 1988 Olympics. He fell on his quadruple toe loop attempt and placed second.

After losing the world title to Orser at home, Boitano and his coach [[Linda Leaver]] decided that some changes needed to be made if he was to become the Olympic champion.<ref name="passiontoskate">{{Cite book |last=Bezic |first=Sandra |author-link=Sandra Bezic |author2=Hayes, David |author-link2=David Hayes (author) |title=The Passion to Skate: An Intimate View of Figure Skating |year=1998 |publisher=Andrews McMeel Pub |isbn=0-8362-6452-5}}</ref> He had always been good at the technical requirements ("The first mark"), but he was weak on the artistic ("the second mark"). He was a self-described "jumping robot." In order to help his growth as an artist, he hired choreographer [[Sandra Bezic]] to choreograph his programs for the 1987–1988 Olympic season.<ref name="passiontoskate" />

Bezic choreographed two programs that featured clean lines and accentuated the skating abilities of the 5' 11" Boitano.<ref name="passiontoskate" /> The short program was based on [[Giacomo Meyerbeer]]'s ballet ''Les Patineurs'', in which he plays a cocky young man showing off his tricks, using movements dating to the 19th century.<ref name="passiontoskate" /> In one moment, he wipes ice shavings, also called snow, off his skate blade and tosses it over his shoulder after landing a triple Axel combination. The free skating program was based on the film score, ''Napoleon'', detailing various phases of a soldier's life.<ref name="passiontoskate" />

Boitano debuted his new programs at 1987 [[Skate Canada International|Skate Canada]], held in the [[Saddledome]] in [[Calgary]], [[Alberta]], Canada. This was where he would compete against Brian Orser for the Olympic title three months later. His new programs were received with standing ovations by the audience. Although Orser won the competition, Boitano skated clean, landing seven triple jumps, including a footwork section into a jump, but popped his planned second triple Axel. The team was so confident about the strength of his new programs that they omitted the quadruple toe loop which, if landed, could have put him a shoulder above Orser in technical merit.

The short program at the 1988 [[United States Figure Skating Championships]] proved to be a highlight. Boitano received marks of 6.0 from eight of the nine judges for presentation, the second mark. His free skate was flawed.<ref name="passiontoskate" /> Due to delays, he did not skate until after midnight. Still, he won the competition, and went into the Olympics as the national champion (U.S.), as did Orser (representing Canada).

===1988 Olympics: Battle of the Brians===
{{Main|Battle of the Brians}}
Going into the Olympics, Boitano and [[Brian Orser]] each had won a world title and each had an excellent, balanced repertoire. Boitano was known as the slightly better technician and Orser as the better artist.
<ref>{{Cite web |last=Harvey |first=Randy |date=1988-02-20 |title=WINTER OLYMPICS : THE BATTLE OF THE BRIANS BEGUILES : But to Boitano and Orser, This Is Just Another Duel Between Friends |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1988-02-20-sp-11164-story.html |access-date=2023-06-14 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>
{{according to whom|date=March 2023}} Adding to the rivalry, Boitano and Orser were both performing military-themed programs. Boitano's free skate was set to music from ''[[Napoleon and Josephine: A Love Story|Napoleon and Josephine]]'', the television miniseries. For his free skate, Boitano wore a blue stretch suit with red braids and [[Epaulette|epaulets]], and used military gestures and postures as much as his music allowed.<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Battle of the Brians: A Retrospective {{!}} U.S. Figure Skating |url=https://www.usfigureskating.org/news/article/battle-brians-retrospective |access-date=2023-05-09 |website=www.usfigureskating.org |date=September 16, 2021 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Kestnbaum |first=Ellyn |title=Culture on Ice: Figure Skating and Cultural Meaning |publisher=Wesleyan Publishing Press |year=2003 |isbn=0-8195-6641-1 |location=Middleton, Connecticut |pages=193}}</ref>

The [[Battle of the Brians]] at the [[figure skating at the 1988 Winter Olympics|1988 Winter Olympics]] was the highlight of Boitano's amateur career. Boitano and Orser were effectively tied going into the [[free skating]] portion of the event and whoever won that portion would win the event. [[Alexander Vladimirovich Fadeyev|Alexander Fadeev]] had won the [[compulsory figures]] section of the competition, with Boitano second and Orser third. In the [[Short program (figure skating)|short program]], Orser placed first and Boitano second. The [[free skating]] was, at the time, worth 50% of the score, and so Boitano's lead would not be enough to hold him in first place if he lost the free skate.

Boitano skated a clean, technically excellent long program, with eight triple jumps, including two axels, and a triple flip-triple toe loop combination.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z8p3EhqI94s&t=95s |title=Video 1988 Winter Olympics Free Skate|website=[[YouTube]] |date=May 4, 2017 }}</ref> Landing his second triple axel jump cleanly was probably a critical factor in the battle. Orser made one small mistake on a jump and omitted his planned second triple axel. Boitano won the battle in a 5–4 split.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-01-12 |title=The Battle of the Brians |url=https://www.cbc.ca/sportslongform/entry/the-battle-of-the-brians |access-date=2023-05-09 |website=cbc.ca}}</ref> It was later discovered that the Canadian Figure Skating Association had engaged in "vote trading" with several countries on the judging panel, particularly East Germany and the USSR.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} This ultimately backfired, as the Soviet judge refused to follow this agreement and voting "with his conscience," placing Boitano first.  Had he followed his federation's directive, Boitano would have lost the gold medal.{{citation needed|date=March 2023}} The judge was promptly suspended by his federation. Experts questioned why the scores were so close between the two skaters because Boitano had two triple axels, two triple flips and a triple triple combination, elements that were not included in Orser's program.

With his win, Boitano became the first Olympic champion to land the full complement of six types of triple jumps.<ref name=":3" /> Boitano won the gold medal, wearing skates with American flag appliqués. These are now part of the collections of the [[National Museum of American History]] at the [[Smithsonian Institution]].

Following the Olympics, both Orser and Boitano went to the [[1988 World Figure Skating Championships|1988 World Championships]], which Boitano won.<ref name=":3" /> Boitano turned professional soon after.

===Professional career and return to amateur standing===
Following the Olympics, Boitano went on to dominate competitions in the professional ranks, winning ten straight professional competitions, including five consecutive World Professional Championship titles and four consecutive wins at the Challenge of Champions.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Brian Boitano |url=https://www.teamusa.org/Hall-of-Fame/Hall-of-Fame-Members/Brian-Boitano |access-date=2023-05-09 |website=teamusa.org}}</ref> Boitano also appeared in ''[[Carmen on Ice]]'', for which he won an [[Emmy]].<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Brian Boitano |url=https://www.emmys.com/bios/brian-boitano |access-date=2023-05-09 |website=Television Academy |language=en}}</ref> He performed with Champions on Ice for many years.<ref name="hines-43">Hines (2011), p. 43</ref> He wanted to return to amateur competition and make another run at the Olympics.

In June 1993, the [[International Skating Union]] (ISU) introduced a clause, commonly known as the "Boitano rule," which allowed professionals to reinstate as "amateur" or "eligible" skaters.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Randy Harvey |date=1993-03-30 |title=Boitano Plans to Skate in '94 Olympics : Winter Games: The 1988 gold medalist, who had turned pro, will apply to regain his eligibility for the competition at Lillehammer, Norway. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-03-30-sp-16946-story.html |access-date=2023-05-09 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> Many others joined Boitano, including Ukrainian [[Viktor Petrenko]], 1988 bronze medalist and 1992 gold medalist. The ISU decision was the result of Boitano's active involvement during the early 1990s, when the International Olympic Committee lifted the remaining limits on athletes' remuneration. Previously, the committee had been accused of rejecting Western professionals, while allowing Eastern Bloc state-sponsored "amateurs" to compete.<ref>{{Cite journal |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/43609911 |jstor=43609911 |last1=Riordan |first1=Jim |title=Rewriting Soviet Sports History |journal=Journal of Sport History |year=1993 |volume=20 |issue=3 |pages=247–258}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |last=Knisley |first=Michael |title=1998 Ad |magazine=Sporting News |date=March 7, 1994 |url=http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_n10_v217/ai_15194066/pg_1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071015153657/http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m1208/is_n10_v217/ai_15194066/pg_1 |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 15, 2007 |access-date=December 7, 2006}}</ref> Boitano reinstated as an amateur to compete in the [[1994 Winter Olympics]] in [[Lillehammer]], [[Norway]].<ref name=":2" />

Boitano competed at the 1994 [[United States Figure Skating Championships]], led after the short program, but lost to [[Scott Davis (figure skater)|Scott Davis]] in the long program in a 6–3 split decision. Boitano was named to the Olympic team. Going into the Olympics as a medal favorite in a strong field, Boitano missed his triple Axel combination during the short program for the first time in his career. This mistake proved extremely costly, and knocked Boitano out of medal contention.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Longman |first=Jere |title=WINTER OLYMPICS; Escapades on Ice: Favorites Go Slip-Sliding Away |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 18, 1994 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/18/sports/winter-olympics-escapades-on-ice-favorites-go-slip-sliding-away.html |access-date=April 26, 2014}}</ref> He skated a good long program and finished 6th.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Vevsey |first=George |title=Winter Olympics: Sports of the Times; Comforting to Know Standards Still Exist |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=February 21, 1994 |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/02/21/sports/winter-olympics-sports-of-the-times-comforting-to-know-standards-still-exist.html |access-date=April 26, 2014}}</ref>

Boitano returned to the professional ranks afterward. In 1996 he was inducted into the [[World Figure Skating Hall of Fame]] and the [[United States Figure Skating Hall of Fame]].<ref name=sr>[https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bo/brian-boitano-1.html Brian Boitano] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090106090050/http://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/bo/brian-boitano-1.html |date=January 6, 2009 }}. sports-reference.com</ref><ref name="hines-43"/>