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Sandhu kept under wraps
And the man responsible for the competition deportation is none other than Canadian Figure Skating Association president David Dore.
Sandhu desperately wanted to compete at Skate Canada this week, but Dore felt it would be in the 17-year-old skater's best interests not to perform in front of the Canadian fans and media or on national TV -- given the frenzy over his being left off the Olympic team last winter.
COMPETING IN EUROPE
"He didn't like it at first, he wanted to be here," Dore said. "All the top Canadians want to compete at home, but there's too much happening here. He needs to concentrate on skating and not have to answer to anyone."
So, instead of introducing his new routines in front of Canadian fans at the Kamloops Riverside Coliseum this week, Sandhu will compete in two Grand Prix events overseas in the next few weeks: The Lalique Trophy in Paris, Nov. 20-22, and at the NHK Trophy, Dec. 2-6, in Sapporo, Japan.
Given the media circus surrounding Sandhu's Olympic team snub after his stunning second-place performance at the Canadian championships, and given that national team rivals Elvis Stojko and Jeff Langdon are at Skate Canada, Dore thought it best that Sandhu ease back into the world scene at meets where he would be just another skater.
"Emanuel's biggest personal mountain to climb, is he has to live up to that mystical position that we've created for him," Dore said. "And what a shame."
Given that, Dore believes less pressure is best.
As for whether Sandhu can rebound from his disappointing 29th-place showing at the world championships last March in Minneapolis, Dore has no doubts.
The CFSA president compares the technically sound and artistically brilliant Sandhu with the late, great British skater John Curry, the 1976 Olympic and world champion.
"He's an intellectual technician," Dore said.