International Skating Union defends the ISU Judging System

[GF2445]

21 Feb 14 - ISU

With the mounting pressure from the public to review the Ladies' Free Skating Results at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, the ISU has released a statement defending the judging that night.

"Pursuant to contacts with the IOC, the ISU would like to issue the following statement on the ISU judging system related to figure skating events at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games:

The ISU is strongly committed to conducting performance evaluations strictly and fairly and has adequate procedures in place to ensure the proper running of the sporting competitions. The officiating judges were selected by random drawing from a pool of 13 potential judges. All judges in an event represent different ISU member federations. The Ladies’ free skating panel included judges from Canada, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Slovakia and Ukraine. To avoid exaggerated markings the highest and the lowest scores entered by the judges are excluded to produce the final score. The technical panel determines the elements of each performed program. The judges add a mark, grading the quality of the skater’s execution of the elements so identified. The technical marks and the artistic presentation marks are added together to produce the final score of the skater.

The ISU has not received any official protest with regard to the Ladies’ Free Skating event or any other event held during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games and is confident in the high quality and integrity of the ISU judging system."

Share your thoughts below.

 

[cooper]

With the mounting pressure from the public to review the Ladies' Free Skating Results at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games, the ISU has released a statement defending the judging that night.

"Pursuant to contacts with the IOC, the ISU would like to issue the following statement on the ISU judging system related to figure skating events at the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games:

The ISU is strongly committed to conducting performance evaluations strictly and fairly and has adequate procedures in place to ensure the proper running of the sporting competitions. The officiating judges were selected by random drawing from a pool of 13 potential judges. All judges in an event represent different ISU member federations. The Ladies’ free skating panel included judges from Canada, Estonia, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, Slovakia and Ukraine. To avoid exaggerated markings the highest and the lowest scores entered by the judges are excluded to produce the final score. The technical panel determines the elements of each performed program. The judges add a mark, grading the quality of the skater’s execution of the elements so identified. The technical marks and the artistic presentation marks are added together to produce the final score of the skater.

The ISU has not received any official protest with regard to the Ladies’ Free Skating event or any other event held during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games and is confident in the high quality and integrity of the ISU judging system."

Share your thoughts below.

oh uh...

 

[Ven]

Boilerplate. This isn't going away. I'm sure the relevant parties involved calculated the risks to fixing the results, and have a response plan to minimize the backlash, but the cheating of these hard working and courageous athletes was so obvious that people will not stand for it.

 

[GF2445]

Ooops:

I made a spelling error. Mods, can you change the spelling of defents to defends

Sorry about that

 

[Juliasochi]

Release individual judge's score. They can run but they can not hide. I hope South Korea starts to decline hosting any ISU events. No more money. Cut them off.

 

[elif]

If Korea going to protest scores, Italy should do. There is a strong chance we will see three gold medalist in ladies at same olympics

 

[bonniesin]

So the ISU defends the ISU, hmmm

 

[fahrenheit290]

If Korea going to protest scores, Italy should do. There is a strong chance we will see three gold medalist in ladies at same olympics

Really??

 

[skatingfan20]

This is from Reuters: "Later on Friday the Korea Skating Union (KSU) issued a statement saying it had met with International Skating Union (ISU) President Ottavio Cinquanta and "officially requested to confirm whether the figure skating ladies single competition was held fairly based on the ISU's regulations and procedures."

The Korea Union said that Cinquanta told them he would look into the matter."

Don't know if the ISU statement was released after Cinquanta's meeting with the Korean Skating Union and that was essentially their response or if there is more to come. Anyway, I doubt there will be any change in the results. Russian is too powerful and has a lot of influence compared to South Korea. The ISU will sweep this under the rug, and hope people will forget.

 

[Ven]

Not just KSU anymore, but KOC will file a formal protest.

http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/full/2014/02/21/2/1200000000AEN20140221005453315F.html

 

[MaiKatze]

Yes, right. What were they supposed to say? Sorry, yes, we inflated the scores of certain skaters? That statement was unnecessary ISU.

 

[chuckm]

The only time the ISU ever did anything was after SLC, and an inquiry from from the IOC. The end result of that was CoP. Maybe Korea should complain to the IOC.

 

[jenaj]

Release individual judge's score. They can run but they can not hide. I hope South Korea starts to decline hosting any ISU events. No more money. Cut them off.

I think they can hide. The rule is that the judge's scores are anonymous. How can they truly be anonymous if the ISU can release them in response to protest? Presumably, S. Korea agreed to the rules by entering ISU events. Do I think this is a good rule? No. But the ISU can hide behind its rules. They haven't prevented cheating; they've just made it harder to prove.

 

[Manitou]

This forum represents a typical mob mentality with pitchforks and torches. There is no logical reasoning with mobs with pitchforks and torches. You want blood and you will not stop until you get it.

 

[Ven]

This forum represents a typical mob mentality with pitchforks and torches. There is no logical reasoning with mobs with pitchforks and torches. You want blood and you will not stop until you get it.

I posted this entire story on a non-skating forum, and the first reply from someone who didn't think figure skating is even a sport was ...

Seems like the crooked people who run the sport were mad their riggage in 2002 got discovered so they adjusted the rules to help them get away with it better in the future.

 

[Juliasochi]

I think they can hide. The rule is that the judge's scores are anonymous. How can they truly be anonymous if the ISU can release them in response to protest? Presumably, S. Korea agreed to the rules by entering ISU events. Do I think this is a good rule? No. But the ISU can hide behind its rules. They haven't prevented cheating; they've just made it harder to prove.

Pressure them to release individual judges' scores as part of the investigation.

 

[starrynight]

The statement should be dubbed "Dismissal," not "Defense."

 

[WeakAnkles]

You can just SMELL the steam coming off that statement, even on the internet. But did we expect anything less from the ISU? They had the audacity to shrug off Pussy Riot being horsewhipped as "not our problem." Lovely bunch of crooks.

 

[Mathman]

According to the ISU constitution, Cinquanta has aged out and must now step down.

But no. In an emergency session a year or so ago they decided to void the constitution and extend Cinquanta's reign for two more years. The reason given was that only Cinquanta has the know-how to guide the ISU ship through the Olympics and into the next Olympic cycle.

 

[Ven]

According to the ISU constitution, Cinquanta has aged out and must now step down.

But no. In an emergency session a year or so ago they decided to void the constitution and extend Cinquanta's reign for two more years. The reason given was that only Cinquanta has the know-how to guide the ISU ship through the Olympics and into the next Olympic cycle.

That's as opinionated and controversial as I've ever seen you Mathman, lol.

:thumbsup: