As for Mathman`s logic about something that has been actually done... Then all TEB skaters should be just out, as they did not skate the LP, unlike everybody else. So why skaters would get into GPF by skating only 2 SPs and a LP, while other skated all 4 programs?
But then again, that is probably not fair either.
Here is how I think we can skate along the line between logic and a Mad Hatter's tea party.
First question: Was enough skating done at TEB to justify declaring a winner, a second place finisher, etc. There are two possible answers.
(A) No. For placement purposes, the event is scored as if it never happened.
(B) Yes. For placement purposes, the skaters are ranked according to the short program results.
So far so good. As far as I can see, neither has a greater claim to the title "logical" than the other. Tied on the logic mark, we go to the first tie-breaker: Fair Play.
If we go with (A), then no one who competed in France can go to the GP Final. Nothing illogical about that, but the question now is "fair play."
If we go with (B), then the participants at Bompard compete for spots in the GP final on the basis of placement, following the same rules a everyone else. They are disadvantaged ever so slightly because of the second tie-breaker.
Now we are finished with logic and finished with fair play. We turn to the last question, do we want to give an unearned break to skaters from whom fickle fate snatched a hope-filled opportunity?
Sure we do! We are all logical here, and we may differ on the issue of what constitutes fair play, but we are not big meanies. We should add on a few extra spots for the most deserving of the unlucky. :yes:
Logical, fair minded, and kind hearted. What's not to like?
