Figure skating trials voting system

A public outcry followed Russia's win in the pairs

The International Skating Union has said a new voting system will eliminate cheating in figure skating.

The new method of voting was trialled at the weekend with the number of judges increased from nine to 14 with seven of their votes being selected at random by a computer.

The change came after a voting scandal at the Winter Olympics which saw two gold medals awarded in the pairs event.

Voting row dogs figure skating

ISU president Ottavio Cinquanta said the test was a success during the Nebelhorn Trophy in Oberstdorf, Germany.

"I personally observed these testing systems at Oberstdorf," said Cinquanta.

"I am pleased that the ISU has moved quickly to respond to the public perception of the need to change and at the same time convinced that such changes are meaningful and well conceived in the interests of our skaters in the future," he said.

Further tests would be carried out at Skate America and Skate Canada in October and November.

At the Salt Lake City Olympics, Russia's Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze, and Canada's Jamie Sale and David Pelletier shared the pairs gold in the wake of a judging scandal.

The scandal erupted after a French judge revealed she was pressured to vote for the Russians in exchange for a French ice dance victory.