kwan article (US files protest)

[rpiche]

1. Just because the USFS is appealing doesn't mean that it will be correct.

2. Since we didn't see it, we can't say for sure how long the program was.

3. Like someone said ealier, just check it again. If her tme was over, then let the scores be what it is. If not give more what she deserved.

4. All federations are allowed to appeal, can't they. No one (Michelle or USFS) is claiming foul or she was robbed. If she broke the rules, then they have to do it.

5. Unless I read the reports wrong, the judges didn't have anything to do with the deductions, it was the officials / timekeeper that made the deductions.

[Ximena]

Just to clarify about Plush combo, he did it the first time, and very well at SLC Olympics, then he did it at Worlds 2003 but his flip was a little weird and he has done it again this time. I think he did at the GPF in Russia but I'm not sure...

About Michelle, I really need to see that performance, a question though, even withouth the time deduction, wasn't the 5.2 too low? I know it was 5.1 but I'm adding the time deduction

[Mafke]

One big problem here:

I would like very much to believe that Kwan is being treated fairly on this, but ...

This _is_ the ISU we're talking about, an organization whose officials I trust approximately as far as I could throw a dump truck. They gone overtime to earn the distrust and disrespect of fans.

Just about anything they do is suspect to me, and any out-of-the-air deduction like this is suspicious, regardless of who gets hit.

[cianni]

Im with you on this one. Look who got hit along with the other hold ups and put downs. This is the worst Worlds Ihave ever seen. The judging overall has been unbelievable.

[Ximena]

In Eurosport they just said that from three different sources, she was count 2:42

[Linny]

All very interesting points. Got a few to contribute:

1. I'm surprised that the rule doesn't refer to the length of the music itself, rather than the length of the movement of the skater. It would seem obvious that sometimes the skater can't hear the music and would have no idea where the music ended.
2. In dressage (that's like figure skating on horseback), the rule refers to the length of the music. Of course, there is an unknown in this: the horse. If applause at the end of a program make the horse move, they apparently don't want to penalize the program. They do, however, penalize the single movement - the final halt - if the horse wasn't immobile for a second. In dressage, it is also bad form to clap until the program is completely done.

This final point is most important:
In a very recently televised contest, one team took the ice, knowing full well that they couldn't win the gold. They still provided us all with one of the best performances yet seen. Definitely an historic ocassion. Perhaps Michelle will go down in history has the skater who has performed the most extraordinary none gold winning performances ever? I'll be glued to the TV screen.

Linny