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Posted on 02/15/2002 10:49:42 AM PST by The_Victor
Canadian Figure Skaters Get Gold, Judge Banned
Fri Feb 15, 2:30 PM ET
By Adrian Warner
SALT LAKE CITY (Reuters) - Canada's Jamie Sale and David Pelletier will be awarded a gold medal in the Olympics pairs figure skating after a French judge in Monday's final was suspended for misconduct.
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Rogge, seeking to put an end to a furor that has dominated the first week of the Games, said the Russian pair who won on Monday would keep their gold medal.
International Skating Union (news - web sites) (ISU) president Ottavio Cinquanta said French judge Marie-Reine Le Gougne had been suspended from the Winter Olympics (news - web sites). Le Gougne voted for Russian duo Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze in the 5-4 split decision.
"We have suspended with immediate effect the judge of figure skating Mrs. Marie-Reine Le Gougne," Cinquanta told the joint news conference.
"The council got enough evidence that this individual was responsible for misconduct. They (the skaters) were not judged equally."
Cinquanta said le Gougne had "practically admitted" she had been put under pressure during a meeting at which the American referee Ron Pfenning had been present. Earlier this week, Cinquanta said Pfenning had handed him a letter containing "certain allegations".
He added if a judge received pressure at any time the referee had to be informed.
"This did not happen in the case of Mrs. Le Gougne," Cinquanta said.
He said a council meeting on Monday would decide how long the suspension would last.
Pelletier and Sale told Canadian television after the announcement that justice had been done.
"Everyone knows what we deserve and we know what we deserve and we are taking that home with us and that's all that matters," Sale said.
"This is not about us and the Russians, this is about the sport we love dearly and justice was done, and that is a good feeling," said Pelletier.
"I hope it's not going to stop the cleaning of (figure skating's) house here," he added.
Sale said: "We just want the truth to come out and I think for the future of our sport this had to be fixed."
Monday's decision sparked outrage in Canada and most neutral observers thought the title should have been awarded to the Canadian pair. The Canadian Olympic Association has appealed to the ISU to overturn the decision.
"This is truly a proud moment for all Canadians and a significant milestone in the sport of figure skating," said Skate Canada president Marilyn Chidlow.
I wish the Russians had offered to give up their gold, since the judging was tainted. Then there would be balance, justice, and real sportsmanship. If it turns out they were involved in the rigged judging...!
The two-medal solution is pretty poor and not just, or fair.
Let's get rid of the "judgement sports" like skating, dancing, twirling ribbons.
Why should that happen? The situation here is being declared a tie for First Place, and the standard behavior is that when a tie occurs both (or all) tied contestants (or teams) win the higher medal and the medal immediately below (if any) is not awarded.
To put it another way, a contestant (or team) will receive a gold metal if there is no contestant (or team) better than them, a silver if there is only one contestant (or team) better than them, a bronze if there are only two, and nothing if there are three or more.
To give some examples, suppose an event is timed to the tenth of a second and the top for contestants' times are as given; they would receive the medals indicated.
I hate people like this, I rather have the russian skaters that low class crybabies. IMHO the Canadians did the right thing in accepting the silver and letting the controversy brew elsewhere.
In my heart I still believe the Russian team skated equal, if not above Sale and Pelletier. A good example of what I describe is this: last night, during ice dancing, a young Russian couple took to the ice and absolutely executed every move to a "T" (just like Sale and Pelletier). They were the crowd favorite, as seen by their cheering and ovation (just like Sale and Pelletier). And most compelling, the crowd booed when they saw their (low) scores. As it turned out, many other teams had more intricate and complex routines. They won ahead of this Russian team.
I feel terrible about the judging situation. It definitely leaves a black eye on the French and Russians. I'll give you that. I think the system should be revamped.
In the end, I believe the committee was correct in solving this quickly and awarding Gold to the Canadians.
I look forward the ladies' event beginning tonight. Let us hope the scandals are left in the past! Good day!
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