American judge asking to be more strict with Plush and Jouby at Olys | Golden Skate

American judge asking to be more strict with Plush and Jouby at Olys

Ximena

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
I read about it at the site of L'Equipe the other day and now it has made it to Russian news

ttp://www.uralinform.ru/armnews/news114896_sp27-626.html
http://www.lequipe.fr/Ski/breves2010/20100204_221327_le-spectre-de-l-icegate.html

Both say pretty much the same [Both are pretty much done by translator since my French has gone rusty and I don't know Russian]

The French article:


The ghost of the "Icegate"

One week before the Games begin, a North American offensive has been launched where Russian Evgeni Plushenko and Brian Joubert could pay the price of it. As a proof, sixty judges and officials worldwide have received an e-mail from the American Joseph Inman, international judge. Some lines of said message were published by L'Equipe on Friday.

A message rather cautious but clear. It insinuates that the Europeans could suffer more than usually on a particular sector favored by the North Americans, the artistic mark and transitions. History to compensate their nervousness over their jumps. This is not the first time a judge has "set fire" on the eve of the Olympics. In 2002, this had led to the scandal in Salt Lake City, after the pairs competition. "We will react, but we will not give more importance to this email than it deserves," says Didier Gailhaguet, president of the FFSG. "It just proves that the North American lobbying is on his way. "

The russian article

"American judge has asked to assess performance of figure skater E. Plushenko stricter"

Vancouver, Canada. A week before the Olympic Games, figure skating American judge Joseph Iman has began baiting European athletes in particular, Russia's Evgeny Plushenko and Frenchman Brian Joubert.

Inman sent letters by e-mail to 60 international referees and officials. The North American specialist urged his colleagues to judge European slaters stricter at the Olympics. Inman believes that athletes from the Old World use too many artistic techniques to help hide their rather weak jumps.

"Of course, we can not ignore the message of our colleague. However, this does not mean that all the judges at the Olympics will start to evaluate athletes in a different way. Inman letter proves the existence of a North American lobby in figure skating," - said in interview to l'Equipe, the President of the French federation Didier Gailhaguet

***************************************************************************************

There's something I don't understand or maybe the translator got it wrong for me, but it says that the judges say Plush and Joubert have weak jumps?? Weak jumps? Them?

I like that Gailhaguet is taking notice but won't really a big deal about this unless of course something obvious happens. No word on Pissiev yet.
 

futureidol

On the Ice
Joined
Jan 2, 2010
Well if the judges judge FAIRLY they will NOT give high marks to Plushenko for transitions, step sequences, or his spins. All he has is jumps, and even those aren't always pretty. His jump landings at Euros kind of thudded on the ice and his ride out is not pretty. I don't think Plushy deserves another gold no matter how many quads he lands. His "choreography" is also hideous with the stroking and blowing kisses. There's a way to be cheeky without being tasteless.
 

gracefulswan

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 16, 2003
I think Plushenko can definitely win if he's on. Just like I feel 5-6 other men can win too. And what kind of scandal would that be if he won? Sometimes a person can go looking for a scandal where none exists, unless, that is, you're wanting one to occur.

I'd be careful about trying to sway judges in a biased manner. Blowback can be a b*tch. We wouldn't want other American competitors to be 'tainted' by Mr. Inman's opinions now, would we?

How sad if true. I mean skaters like Joubert and Plushenko work their whole lives for an Olympics moment or two....and then only to have one sorry judge try to knock their skating in favor of 'his' North American competitors. Whatever happened to the other judges and their competency to decide who deserves higher marks or not based on the actual performances? Oh, maybe Inman won't be a crucial judge this time around....and so he'll try to influence the outcome in some other way.... :disapp:
 

DesertRoad

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 31, 2005
Er, am I missing something here? Unless the e-mail specifically mentions Plushenko or Joubert, or it singles out European skaters, how is a reminder that judges should judge transition marks fairly an attack on European skaters? Last I checked, Lambiel is European, too, and he should benefit from such fairer judging. And there are countless other European skaters who are strong on transitions. Plushenko and Joubert aren't the only skaters from Europe, nor are they representative of European skating.
 

gracefulswan

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 16, 2003
Ugh, the email DID mention at least two skaters last I read. How is that not tainting the competition beforehand? If you single out any skater to be judged more stringently, then that is a biased, unprofessional call, and the judge should be reprimanded for it. The judge could simply have emailed his opinions on transitions, jumps, footwork, etc...etc. WITHOUT naming a single skater. How do you think those skaters now feel after reading that their chances now could be predetermined to a certain extent? What if a Russian judge did the same? We'd all be up in arms no less.... and especially if a few American skaters were singled out for their "lack" of whatever it is perceived as their lack.... or any European judge sending out messages to judge Chan or Lysacek or Abbott more harshly because they can't do quad combos? even in the short? or for their getting inflated scores in the past...etc. It'd be the same mess and I wouldn't agree with it.
 

DesertRoad

Final Flight
Joined
Oct 31, 2005
Eh, I'll judge the e-mail by the merit of its message. And the message is correct. Plushenko and Joubert are habitually over-scored on their TR marks. The fault lies with judges who over-score them, not the person who points it out. And where is the actual text of the e-mail, I'd like to read that, rather than some sensationalistic tabloid interpretation of them from some Pravda wannabe
 

skatemom1122

Final Flight
Joined
Dec 22, 2009
Oh dear...not the way to start off the Olympics. I can already see the press blowing this one way out of proportion. Is this guy an idiot? Did he not think judges would start talking....extremely disappointing. Can't we at least wait until the Games begin before we start lobbying? :disapp:

If I am recalling correctly, 'Joseph Inman,' is the same person who gave Johnny Weir a 3.75 for his transitions at nationals for the SP. Why am I not surprised? :think:
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Ugh, the email DID mention at least two skaters last I read...

Where did you read the email? Can you supply a link please?

I only read a quote from Gailhaguet and an article in a French magazine. It is strange to me that neither of the two articles gives a quote from the email.

I would like to know what Inman actually said before jumping in.
 
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gracefulswan

On the Ice
Joined
Aug 16, 2003
I was referring to what the Russian and French articles indicated.... and I did mention earlier IF Inman actually referred to those skaters....And there's no reason to doubt TWO articles that indicated certain skaters by name. Of course quotes would be more damning.

I read a Russian article too that's not linked here yet.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
I'm sorry, but to me this smells like more Franco-Russian baloney.

I will be the first to apologize to Gailhauget, Pizeev and the rest if Joe Inman actually singled out Plushenko and Joubert. But I will believe it when I see it (preferably from some other country than France or Russia.)
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
^ Thank you. Although the excerpt still does not mention Joubert or Plushenko by name, it seems that the email is talking about Plushenko. Why didn't the newspaper give a fuller source, instead of making this seem like some kind of supermarket tabloid story?

I will still wait to see whether this actually came from Joe Inman. I cannot believe that a person of Inman's maturity would send anyone an email that ends with six exclamation marks, like a child. :laugh:
 

Ximena

Final Flight
Joined
Jul 26, 2003
It is kind of weird but at the same time, the original is L'Equipe and that's just not a tabloid, is it? I'm not familiar with French press but I do know that at least the most known sources are Le Monde, L'Observateur and L'Equipe, yes?
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
Yes, as far as I know L'Equipe is the major sports publication in France, with a long and respectable history. Very curious. I hope that more details come out in the next few days.

Edited to add: The timing is also curious. This email seems to have been sent rigth after Europeans. Strange that it suddenly comes to light on the eve of the Olympics.

I assume that some of the 60 judges who received this email, together with Gailhaiguet and Piseev, have filed a formal chrge against Inman with the ISU ethics committee.
 
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Joined
Jun 21, 2003
OK, I have one more question. :laugh:

Joe Inman is a native English speaker, right? Would he say "Tale tell in my opinion" or "When he says 'we don't have any transitions' what does that translate into a mark?"
 

Barb

Record Breaker
Joined
Oct 13, 2009
I wonder why they dont mentioned the canadian skaters who are overscored frecuently too (yes I mean Patrick Chan):sheesh:.
 
Joined
Jun 21, 2003
^ As I understand it the question was about the Transitions component. Chan does have pretty good transitions.
 
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