Figure Skating Federation Proposes Raising Minimum Age to Compete

Kamila Valieva of Russia helped lead her team to a gold medal at the Beijing Olympics before news emerged that she had tested positive for a banned substance. Credit... Chang W. Lee/The New York TimesHow young is too young in the crucible of elite, international sports?

Officials in figure skating — a sport plagued on the global stage by questions about the mental and physical safety of some of its best and youngest competitors — appear set to address the issue head-on with a new proposal to raise the minimum age from 15 to 17 in its major events, including the Winter Olympics.

The International Skating Union, the global governing body for the sport, will vote on the measure when it meets…