Well, over the years it does seem the host country is helped in some discipline, as a thank you. It appears to be how it is done. Be nice to Canadian skaters when they host the GPF, and be nice to the Russians when they host. As long as I can remember, some discipline would raise my eyes a bit as to a result. Usually it is the bronze medal. If 3 and 4 are close, give the medal to the host country. In a judged sport there is indeed room for gifting. No insiders have spoken up, but when people post as themselves and have a role in skating, they must be careful what they divulge on skating boards. I do think Canada is very strong and nationalistic in a way that Russia is as well.
SC saw a chance to reward great skating from a brand new lady who was wonderful. I prsonally think Akiko is one of the best, most musical skaters I have seen. She is a joy to watch, and at 27, she is amazing. Likely Akiko would win in japan, with kate second. This appears how the GPF works. World scores and Olympic scores are affected by reputation and status. Why is it the WC so often wins the Olympics? Not always, but often. So At the Worlds and Olympics, here is a lot going on, and more scrutiny goes into the judging. After SLC no judge wants to face hatred from the world for hime cooking. But it does seem home cooking is more tolerated on GPF. It is a beautiful sport to watch.
Poor Nancy wuzrobbed in 94 and we could debate if and why, but if we get angry at the times when the wrong person won, we'd walk away. As Mrs P. says, the sport is beautiful and interesting. I am not so interested in the vagaries of the CoP. I want to be moved, or delighted, or just enjoy. Suzuki and Osmond skated with joy. It was wonderful really. They make you forget who came in third, really. Canada did indeed do very well at SC. Maybe a tiny bit corrupt, or is that a way too strong word. "Home cooking" seems to be more descriptive. The results were within the mean of acceptable to most everyone. We no longer see the stuff that made people scream when the bloc judging was in full force in ice dance.
I think it is impossible to rig, unless you pay off the top team to skate bad. V/M usually win. If they threw away a medal -well then we'd have a SLC sized scandal. But this is not prize fighting, lol. If there were big money/ig endorsements left in NA or in Europe, people might care more about cheating some how. I think it looks fairly clean. I have no idea if the Asian fans feel the sport is judged fairly. Since we have Japan as the superpower of mens and ladies skating, winning so many medals, I don't think they'd complain or say the judging is unfair, unless it's the inflation episodes which seem past us now.
I wonder how China feels it's skaters are regarded and scored at big events and if it is fair? But unfortunately, we don't have many members from mainland china (or do we?) to weigh in. This emerging superpower is emerging in so many areas of life, even FS. What does the future hold for their skaters? When will we see another Lu Chen?? China has everything it needs it seems to have their skaters on the podiums -in every discipline. It is interesting to see how maybe bigsis sees his counrty's fed and how the chinese skaters placements are being affected by their place in FS. I wish we had some insiders telling us how it works. Inqquiring mind (mine) is curious indeed.
