When Amber Glenn finished her short program at the Milan Cortina Olympics, nothing looked obviously wrong. She stayed upright, completed her spins, and skated with speed and control. There was no dramatic fall. No visible collapse.
Yet when the scores appeared, one jump was marked as an “invalid element” — and that single call dropped her to 13th place.
So what does “invalid element” mean?
In figure skating, especially in the short program, skaters must perform very specific required elements. These include designated jump types, a jump combination, spins with set features, and a step sequence. If a jump does not meet the technical requirements outlined by the ISU rulebook, it can receive zero points.
An element may be ruled invalid for several reasons: performing the wrong jump in a required slot, repeating a jump that isn’t allowed, missing required rotations, or failing to execute a valid combination. Even a jump that looks clean to viewers can be invalid if it doesn’t meet the technical criteria.
That’s the key difference: a fall still earns base value (minus deductions), but an invalid element earns nothing. Zero base value. Zero grade of execution. It’s as if the jump never counted at all.
In the short program, where scoring margins are razor thin, losing the full value of a jump is devastating. A triple or triple-triple combination can be worth significant points. Removing that value can swing placements dramatically.
Because the short program has stricter content rules than the free skate, there’s very little room for improvisation. If a skater adjusts mid-program and accidentally duplicates a jump or misses a required component, the technical panel must apply the rule as written.
For Glenn, the routine appeared composed on the surface. But under the scoring system’s precision, that one invalid call had major consequences.
At the Olympic level, it doesn’t always take a fall to change the standings. Sometimes, it takes a detail only visible on the protocol sheet.
