David Lease is a figure skater and co-owner of ‘The Skating Lesson’ (TSL), who is embroiled in a controversy with the U.S. Figure Skating, find out more below about his insensitive comments
David’s recent insensitive statements as part of online content creation team TSL led to intense backlash from U.S. Figure Skating.
David Lease of ‘The Skating Lesson’ embroiled in controversy after video of him talking about Washington DC plane crash skaters goes viral
Good for USFS to call him out BY HIS NAME. I wish I didn’t even look up what he said.
Shut down The Skating Lesson forever, please. We won’t welcome you back. https://t.co/7khsJUoAun
— A mute for the lady (@LadyMuted) March 6, 2025
Ilia has unfollowed TheSkatingLesson on Instagram earlier and expressed his support for the victims of the flight. pic.twitter.com/PW2LBKB8Fv
— Ilia Malinin Daily (@TheIliaSociety) March 6, 2025
Following the backlash and reactions, TSL were prompted to delete all of their social media accounts.
Controversial video of David Lease and The Skating Lesson
In a now-deleted The Skating Lesson Patreon video, David Lease discussed the January 29 plane crash over the Potomac River. The crash notably led to the death of 67 lives, including 28 skaters, coaches, and family members who were returning from the 2025 U.S. Figure Skating Championships in Wichita, Kansas.
In the video, Lease questioned the victims’ talent and the worthiness of their sacrifices for skating, saying:
“Not everybody who was on that plane that talented. Like I do not think it was worth the gamble of giving up your life, and your education, and you everything for skating. That is what hit me when I was doing the tributes to these people. These people died, and yes, they were doing a development camp, which they loved, but they were also being taken advantage of, because we all know they were not going to make it in skating. And it seemed like their families were hook, line, and sinker.
His controversial comments received widespread criticism, with netizens calling it insensitive and disrespectful.
David Lease “The Skating Lesson” is awful
byu/brokenstrawberrie inFigureSkating
U.S. Figure Skating issues response to David Lease and The Skating Lesson
In response to David’s statements, the U.S. Figure Skating issued a statement condemning David Lease’s remarks about the plane crash. They labeled his statements as “cruel and malicious” in a statement and reaffirmed their commitment to valuing every member of the skating world, from Olympians to beginners. They stated:
We unequivocally condemn the cruel and malicious remarks made by The Skating Lesson regarding the tragic loss of those aboard Flight 5342. Such heartless rhetoric has no place in our community. We value and celebrate every member of the skating world—from Olympians to those taking their first steps on the ice—and we refuse to let such a vile narrative go unchallenged.”
The Skating Lesson
The Skating Lesson is an online platform offering figure skating news, analysis, and interviews. They had their own YouTube channel and Instagram page, which have all been now manually deleted. It was first established in 2013 as a joint venture between co-founders Jenny Kirk and David Lease. TSL has become a hub for skaters worldwide over the years, sharing insights and discussions on various skating aspects.
David Lease bio
David Lease is a former figure skater and co-founder of “The Skating Lesson (TSL)” alongside Jenny Kirk in 2013. Following his retirement from skating, David transitioned into online content creation, providing news, analysis, and interviews related to skating. Over the years, Lease has gained widespread attention for his candid and often controversial commentary on the sport. Interstingly, David has also deleted all of his social media accounts following the incident.