Russian skating official shot

The ISU never had an investigation other than to put the total blame on the LeGougne. The matter is not resolved for the public. Speedy knows what happened and rushed to give out two gold medals to stop the investigation.

Joe

I thought that Rogge of the IOC was pressuring $peedy to award duplicate golds because of the publicitiy. IIRC, $peedy originally stated that the judging problem in the pairs event was like a referee's error in a soccer game -- discipline the referee, if warranted, but the results are not changed.

attyfan said:

I thought that Rogge of the IOC was pressuring $peedy to award duplicate golds because of the publicitiy. IIRC, $peedy originally stated that the judging problem in the pairs event was like a referee's error in a soccer game -- discipline the referee, if warranted, but the results are not changed.

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I remember reading somewhere that Rogge was upset about giving out 2 gold medals because there is no history of it in the Olympics. He wanted the result to stand! But if the result was going to stand there had to be a further investigation because the result was 2-2 tie with the scores of one judge discarded.

Joe

If anyone cares anymore, here is the exact text of the ISU resolution from their hearings in April, 2002:

http://www.isu.org/vsite/vfile/page/fileurl/0,11040,4844-130559-131867-26140-0-file,00.pdf

"On April 29 and 30, 2002 in Lausanne, Switzerland, the Council of the ISU, in continuation of the disciplinary enquiry commenced in Salt Lake City, held a hearing at which further evidence was heard and presented.

"Following this hearing the Council has evaluated all the evidence and arrived at the following decision, in accordance with rule 104, paragraph 16 of the ISU General Regulations:

"1. Ms. Marie Reine Le Gougne is suspended as ISU Referee and Judge and excluded from participation in any ISU event, e.g. ISU Championships, international competitions, exhibitions and all off-ice events, in any capacity for a period of 3 years, beginning on April 30, 2002:

"(a) for misconduct committed on February 11, 2002 in violation of ISU rule 426, paragraphs 4 and 5, by giving the pair Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze from Russia first place in the free program of the pairs event of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games upon the instruction of Mr. Didier Gailhaguet, the President of the Fédération Française des Sports de Glace, although in her own opinion the pair Sale/Pelletier from Canada presented a better performance, and

"(b)for violation of ISU rule 125, paragraph 3 by not reporting immediately and before the end of the pairs event of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games that Mr. Didier Gailhaguet, the President of the Fédération Française des Sports de Glace and an ISU Council member, had instructed her to give the first place in the pairs event of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games to the pair Berezhnaya/Sikharulidze from Russia.

"In addition, Ms. Marie Reine Le Gougne is excluded from participation in any capacity within the ISU in the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.

"2. Mr. Didier Gailhaguet is suspended as an ISU Council member and excluded from participation in any ISU event, e.g. ISU Championships, international competitions, exhibitions and all off-ice events, in any capacity for a period of 3 years, beginning on April 30, 2002:

"for misconduct committed by instructing Ms. Marie Reine Le Gougne in his capacity as the President of the Fédération Française des Sports de Glace, which nominated Ms. Marie Reine Le Gougne as judge for the pairs event of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, to give the first place in the pairs event of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games to the pair Berezhnaya /Sikharulidze from Russia.

"In addition, Mr. Didier Gailhaguet is excluded from participation in any capacity within the ISU in the 2006 Olympic Winter Games..."

(Note (not part of ISU document): Le Gougne and Gailhaguet both denied any wrongdoing. They claimed they did not get a fair hearing, maintaining that Cinquanta and the ISU stacked the case against them to justify the decision to give second gold medals, which they say was done because of pressure from the International Olympic Committee and the American news media.)

Like Joe says, the whole blame was put on Le Gougne and Gailhaguet. No one was ever accused of conspiring with anyone or of making any deals with other federations.

In the official view of the ISU, the French team cheated, for no discernable reason whatever, to give Bereshnaya and Sikharlidze an undeserved medal (in Le Gougne's own opinion -- that crazy lady! -- she felt that Sale and Pelletier "presented the better performance," according to the ISU). No one else had anything to do with it, just those rascally French.

Mathman

I love the Olympics, but I just hate how political things have become. It should be all about the SPORTS!

The Olympics have always been about politics -- and not only figure skating. At the summer Olys in Athens, for example, there was a judo match set between an Israeli and someone from one of the Arab countries. The Arab refused to compete -- blowing weight requirements -- but he said that he would not go against an Israeli because Israel didn't belong in the Olys. The IOC just noted the weight requirement, and did nothing.

attyfan said:

The Olympics have always been about politics -- and not only figure skating. At the summer Olys in Athens, for example, there was a judo match set between an Israeli and someone from one of the Arab countries. The Arab refused to compete -- blowing weight requirements -- but he said that he would not go against an Israeli because Israel didn't belong in the Olys. The IOC just noted the weight requirement, and did nothing.

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I knew that. That's why I say I hate it.

Yes, I did hear about the Arab incident. It's unfortunate, but that seems to be the state of things now.

Red Dog said:

I love the Olympics, but I just hate how political things have become. It should be all about the SPORTS!

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In Figure Skating, it's about winning any which way it can be done.
JMO
Joe

Joesitz said:

In Figure Skating, it's about winning any which way it can be done.
JMO
Joe

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Sounds like it to me. :yes: