South Korean federation's complaint to the ISU about judging

[concorde]

I really don't understand why the judges have to have a relationship with any individual skating federation. Should they be international? Sure. But the important thing is that they're trained and work totally outside the actual competitors' organisations.

My daughter has now been skating for 5 years and I cannot tell the different jumps/level of spins/foot sequences. I assume that most non-skaters are like me. So I believe former skaters make the best judges.

Most high level (international) judges are former Junior/Senior level skaters who what to give back to their sport. To the best of my knowledge, international judges do not get paid; they just get reimbursed for their expenses. When these former skaters are not judging, they usually work/travel with their country as part of the support staff.

So if you want a judge that knows the nuiances of the sport, that person will have ties to a specific country. However, a good judge should be able to put how a person/teams skates above the judge's country interest. But not all people can do this; those that cannot should be weeded out.

 

[Mathman]

Most high level (international) judges are former Junior/Senior level skaters who what to give back to their sport. To the best of my knowledge, international judges do not get paid; they just get reimbursed for their expenses. When these former skaters are not judging, they usually work/travel with their country as part of the support staff.

So if you want a judge that knows the nuiances of the sport, that person will have ties to a specific country. However, a good judge should be able to put how a person/teams skates above the judge's country interest. But not all people can do this; those that cannot should be weeded out.

I think it would be a hard balancing act. When you are part of the team, naturally you hope your skaters will do well. It is a short step from hoping the skater the represents your team will get a +2 GOE on her triple Salchow to, yay, that was a fine triple Salchow, I'll give it a +2.

But, yeah. There is no other place to get judges from except national federations, so we have to do the best we can.

 

[bsfan]

There were more than just one judges. Are those judges all from countries that had no skater competing in Olympics? What's the point with them complaining about composition of the judging panel?

 

[YesWay]

A rant that's so shrill and hysterical... it's actually hilarious.

Pure comedy - I thought April came early...

By the way, is "japanice" actually the author of these pieces, "Jack Gallagher"?
Using Golden Skate as free advertising for his "news" articles?

 

[pangtongfan]

Excellent article. Every word was the truth.

 

[Meoima]

There were more than just one judges. Are those judges all from countries that had no skater competing in Olympics? What's the point with them complaining about composition of the judging panel?

May be that is where lobby comes from? Like an unspoken rules for the judges that they should over-score some ice skaters from host country.

 

[Barb]

I wonder what about with Japan times, he complained about Mao doing so bad in olympics regardles her wonderful LP, but he is so worried about Yuna . Whatever, I am so tired about all this, I am hasta la madre

 

[Big Deal]

Very emotionally made, but a very good article.
That injuria made everybody emotional and angry, losing the interest in this sport.
I still think that this of my favourite sport/art should be removed from the Olympic Games in a few cycle in order to make it clear in the future.
The Olympic Gold seems to be a too large temptation for politicians NOT to influence the results via maffia-like decision. Hand clears hand.......
These few olympiad without Olympic Gold awarded in this "sport" should hurt losing sponsorship etc., but this corrupt leadership in the different Federation may die out and extinct. Wishful thinking?..........

 

[bsfan]

The panel had japanese and us judges AFAIK. There were conflicts of interest had they over-scored host country skaters. I won't believe those 'May be's. I assume they are mostly well trained professionals and respect their work.

 

[gmyers]

Will it be successful in removing gold from sotnikova? Stripping her of her title?

 

[Big Deal]

No, it is NOT to remove the Gold from Putnikova.
It is hers.

This decision is a trial to save the future and credibility of this sport which looses its fans and spectators.
The crowd was not made of figure skating experts and fans even at the Olympic. The crowd didn"t understand nor appreciated great skating.
The only fact they had appreciated: being Russian "Ross---ssi---a!!!" even at the Gala (!?)

 

[gmyers]

The number one priority is to fix this so it is shown to all that Yuna won the 2014 Olympics and that's the standard and quality that gets gold medals. Removing gold from sotnikova because judges allegedly were involved in fixing is what South Korea wants as well as some people all over the world. ISU will have a vote and Maybe they will recommend to IOC take gold away from Adelina or court of arbitration for sport will do it.

 

[slutskayafann]

Yuna has a gold and silver in two Olympics. Congratulations to her and may her fans one day appreciate her achievements. I agree that judges better be from different nationalities but then Russian, American, Chinese and probably Canadian judges will never work in any competition!

It is time to move on.

 

[Big Deal]

The number one priority is that Yuna DID NOT win gold medal and it was a kind of crime which started when the selection of the judges and caller was made.
It was NOT only a Russian conspiracy. Many judges accepted the idea, if the Russian athlete will stand in her feet, she can get ultra high GOE and PCS (MANY 9,75 for THAT performance....).
No one of them EVER will tell what he/she got offered for that.
Yuna was not competing with her fellow athletes but fighting with the whole corrupt system with its full force.
Shame.

 

[chloepoco]

Yuna has a gold and silver in two Olympics. Congratulations to her and may her fans one day appreciate her achievements. I agree that judges better be from different nationalities but then Russian, American, Chinese and probably Canadian judges will never work in any competition!

It is time to move on.

:thumbsup:

 

[RABID]

I just hope that by the time 2018 arrives the Koreans will have put Sochi well behind them. Figure skating will survive Sochi, and if Korea puts on a good show it will put "paid" to that "effort" by the Russians. THAT is the best thing the Koreans can do.

 

[skatedreamer]

A rant that's so shrill and hysterical... it's actually hilarious.

Pure comedy - I thought April came early...

By the way, is "japanice" actually the author of these pieces, "Jack Gallagher"?
Using Golden Skate as free advertising for his "news" articles?

Whoever he/she is, they're not doing Yuna any favors w/ that kind of writing. Or figure skating either, for that matter. :disapp:

 

[Antilopa]

I just hope that by the time 2018 arrives the Koreans will have put Sochi well behind them. Figure skating will survive Sochi, and if Korea puts on a good show it will put "paid" to that "effort" by the Russians. THAT is the best thing the Koreans can do.

endless story. Russians had their revenge for Slutskaya and Pluschenko. Koreans will do smth else.

 

[capcomeback]

As I've commented previously, but using different words to express myself, I won't pull any punches this time. If this man is a reporter then he is a very poor "newspaper man". His story is full of editorial comments and asides that don't belong in a newspaper story. If this is a case of The Japan Times faulty formatting and it is a "column" versus a "story" then that is a different matter.

Still, essentially Gallagher is right in what he's saying with the exception of the notion that Adelina's gold should be stripped and given to Yuna. Other than re-scoring the whole event by video (and that in itself would be unfair to the skaters and too time consuming), the podium will (and should) stay the way that it is.

The bigger issue at stake is the leadership and working culture of the ISU and the influence of individuals who are officers or in high leadership positions in local governing bodies in addition to having these positions in the ISU itself. There are too many conflict of interests that need to be addressed and until a strong leader who is an outsider to the ISU (and local governing bodies) is in charge of the body, we will see more of the same cr@p.

 

[capcomeback]

Yuna has a gold and silver in two Olympics. Congratulations to her and may her fans one day appreciate her achievements. I agree that judges better be from different nationalities but then Russian, American, Chinese and probably Canadian judges will never work in any competition!

It is time to move on.

It's one thing to have conflict of interest. It's another thing to put your own credibility at risk by cheating on your scoring in favor of athletes from your own country (and against their rivals). Until the ISU cracks down on such actions, there is no point in having skating contests. Soon skating will become the punchline of this joke: What are the two differences between Professional Wrestling and Figure Skating? Wrestlers don't wear ice skates and skaters don't hit, kick, or slam.