Did They Really Say That? Nagano Revisited.

[attyfan]

Ice dance is by far the most fun discipline to follow if you like controversies, wuzrobbing, and cheatin', lyin', conspirin' judges.
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Anyway, the controversy was that Canadian fans (and Shae-Lynn and Victor themselves) went on a tirade about how they had been deliberately and systematically held down thoughout their careers and that the Russian-dominated powers-that-be in the sport had already pre-determined the winners before the contest began.
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I thought that there was also a tape of a judge (either Russian or Ukrainian, I forgot which, but now juding for Israel) telling the Canadian judge what the results would be -- before the competition. The judge got suspended for a bit, also.

IMO, whether the other skaters were better than B/K at Olys is irrelevant to whether the judging was fair. If there had been some kind of "fix", then B/K were robbed -- of fair judging.

Think '02 and the allegations that the French judge voted for the Russian pairs as part of a deal to secure the gold for the French ice dance team. IMO, if there had been such a deal, then all skaters in both disciplines were robbed of fair judging by the existence of the deal -- and if A/P were also the best, it didn't cure anything.

 

[discoduck]

I thought that there was also a tape of a judge (either Russian or Ukrainian, I forgot which, but now juding for Israel) telling the Canadian judge what the results would be -- before the competition. The judge got suspended for a bit, also.

The Ukranian judge was Yuri Balkov and he is still judging but not for Israel. I'm pretty sure she still judges for Ukraine. Nagano wasn't the only time he was accused either. He was also accused of foot tapping to another judge in code at worlds...not sure which year...to tell them how to vote. Sadly enough he only got suspended for a short time and actually judged at Worlds 2003.

 

[gkelly]

The Ukranian judge was Yuri Balkov and he is still judging but not for Israel. I'm pretty sure she still judges for Ukraine.

True.

Nagano wasn't the only time he was accused either. He was also accused of foot tapping to another judge in code at worlds...not sure which year...to tell them how to vote.

No, that was Sviatoslav Babenko of Russia and Alfred Korytek of Ukraine (who did then go on to judge for Israel).

 

[Tonichelle]

And they had a really amazing free dance and skated their hearts out. It was not a gift.

Yes I know it was choreographed by Morozov but even he has the occasional moment of brilliance.

I wasn't impressed by it... it didn't feel like B/K

*hides*

 

[bekalc]

Actually I found B and K's complaining annoying. They were complaining that G and P won all the time, they were complaining that the French team were replacing them. I remember that they were complaining about the French winning the Olympic bronze and Dick Button spoke at an exhibition and said "I like this French team, and I like their Romeo and Juliet performance." Which is how I felt at the time.

 

[discoduck]

I wasn't impressed by it... it didn't feel like B/K

*hides*

Well it wasn't my favorite but I still don't think they were gifted with the World title in 2003. Never have, never will.

 

[laceup]

Funny thing ... I was a huge B/K fan. I saw Riverdance both live and on tv more times than I can count ... I thought they "wuzrobbed" at the O .... then I watched it yesterday on youtube and thought "you know what, they were off, really off in some places ..." I do think Riverdance could have put them higher but not with that skate on that day ... Shae was definately off ... and this is coming from a huge fan so sometimes we must revisit and be real !!!

 

[discoduck]

Funny thing ... I was a huge B/K fan. I saw Riverdance both live and on tv more times than I can count ... I thought they "wuzrobbed" at the O .... then I watched it yesterday on youtube and thought "you know what, they were off, really off in some places ..." I do think Riverdance could have put them higher but not with that skate on that day ... Shae was definately off ... and this is coming from a huge fan so sometimes we must revisit and be real !!!

Actually the performace at Worlds that year was technically better. I still love the dance though. It's my favorite of theirs.

 

[laceup]

I agree on all accounts, Discoduck:agree:

 

[bekalc]

Funny thing ... I was a huge B/K fan. I saw Riverdance both live and on tv more times than I can count ... I thought they "wuzrobbed" at the O .... then I watched it yesterday on youtube and thought "you know what, they were off, really off in some places ..." I do think Riverdance could have put them higher but not with that skate on that day ... Shae was definately off ... and this is coming from a huge fan so sometimes we must revisit and be real !!!

Yeah, I was annoyed when they were complaining about the judges before the competition even started. It's funny because I was watching A and P's compulsory's in 1998 on Eurosport, and if anything I got the impression that the Eurosport people felt that A and P were the ones who were undermarked.

Dick Button at the 1998 worlds commented on A and P's long program and said it was one of the greatest ice dances of all time, and that he didn't care if they didn't do much skating for 35 seconds (If you count how many times Bourne and Kraatz, stopped and just moved their feet (and didn't skate, they'd be about even) It was great to see Dick speak out quite clearly about how good the French team was.