THERE SHOULD BE SOME CHA-CHA-CHA CHANGES MADE

Shall we not dance?

No, apparently we shall, but the rules will be changed for ice dancing before the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Concerned about calls for ice dancing’s elimination from the Games because of incessant judging controversies, Ottavio Cinquanta, president of the International Skating Union, said Saturday that reforms will be instituted.

“We are not deaf. We read and I am stimulated by this,” he said during a news conference. “We can’t change the sport, but there has been a lot of conversation in the ISU to acknowledge the sport needs competition.”

Cinquanta said he will push for legislation placing more emphasis on the free dance. As it now stands, the compulsory and original dances combined are more valuable than the free dance, making it very difficult for the standings to change in the final phase of the competition.

“If you can’t change the situation through judging and obtain the result--you can’t force people to do something--then maybe it is better to do it through the rules,” he said.

SHE PROBABLY WAS AIMING AT THAT 90%, OTTAVIO

Surya Bonaly’s illegal back flip in the women’s figure skating freestyle program was considered an affront to the judges, who have never warmed up to the former gymnast’s style.

Asked his opinion, Cinquanta said, “As a human, 10% of me approved and 90% as ISU president disapproved.”