The Judging Controversy Thread

[tictochyun]

Have you read an article written by Beverly Smith, a Canadian sports columnist?
It says about the backstory of Russian judges related to this Sochi scandal.
You can read it here: http://bevsmithwrites.wordpress.com/2014/02/22/more-on-the-womens-controversy/

 

[Icey]

What a sad state of affairs!!!!!

 

[Mt. Adam]

Have you read an article written by Beverly Smith, a Canadian sports columnist?
It says about the backstory of Russian judges related to this Sochi scandal.
You can read it here: http://bevsmithwrites.wordpress.com/2014/02/22/more-on-the-womens-controversy/

Thx for sharing.

 

[usethis2]

Have you read an article written by Beverly Smith, a Canadian sports columnist?
It says about the backstory of Russian judges related to this Sochi scandal.
You can read it here: http://bevsmithwrites.wordpress.com/2014/02/22/more-on-the-womens-controversy/

Everything is explained between that and this (Figure Skating Reference: Evaluating Step Sequences). The tragic state of the ISU as an organization and its corruption is all there for everyone to see. I now fully understand why/how Kim approached these Olympics with such equanimity and tranquility (in appearance). After all, she was an 'insider' of this sordid business, and while she was a 'passive' participant she had known everything all along. Now that I recall her interviews before/after the event, every one of her words hits me like a rock with renewed meanings. Most of you may remember her words; that she does not care about the medal, the color of medal, other competitors, and judging; that nothing will change with her words; that she wants to do her best without bothering herself with things that are not under her control; that she wants to be remembered as a "skater," rather than a medalist..

I remember how uncomfortable she looked before her SP and how exhausted she looked after. I also remember a flash of suspicion on Kim's face when she saw her SP score, which she quickly erased as she had usually done in the past. I can only imagine how Kim felt when she saw Mao crying after the FS. It is perhaps a connection that only they can possibly share and understand. Kim cried after her own FS, in the backstage. Later Kim singled out Mao in her last interview as an athlete.

I don't know if I can take this any more - and I am merely a fan.

Shame to all those dirt bags in this business. Shame to all those looking away, while making a living from this "sport."

 

[bek41]

I completely agree... her interviews before and after are pretty eye opening... her slight laugh after hearing her scores for the LP were telling.. like she wasn't shocked by it but still dumbfounded haha

 

[usethis2]

P.S. One more of Kim's interview that I've just run into. She is in Korea now, I guess.

http://www.feverskating.com/fevers/64985230

Q: When the scores came out, there wasn’t much change in your facial expression. Did you know that your scores were going to be low?



YUNA: I wasn’t expecting a good one. I kind of figured after the short program. The higher your expectations, the bigger the disappointment. There were a lot of times when no matter how well I skated, the scores didn’t come out as expected. I tend to think a lot before competitions. I think about getting lower-than-expected scores and scenarios where I would place second. So when the scores came out, I wasn’t surprised. I wasn’t there to win the gold medal, so I was okay.

 

[tictochyun]

Unfair Report with Manipulated Photo from New York Times

As you know, some medias such as ABC, CNN and ESPN criticized about the judgement at the ladies' figure skating. However, some companies like NBC and New York Times, they try to justify Sotnikova's winning. It can be possible because each person has different opinion.

New York Times compared Sotnikova's jump with Yuna's. But the problem is that New York Times manipulated the picture of Sotnikova's jump. They tried to say Sotnikova's jump was harder and higher. But it was not the same combination jump and they photoshoped the picture to make Sotnikova's jump look better.

Original NYT article: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/02/20/sports/olympics/womens-figure-skating.html
Rebuttal for that article: http://www.feverskating.com/fevers/sochi2014/65081423

Why Do Some US Media Companies Try To Deprecate Yuna? What is your opinion with this?

 

[Npmonice]

I think there was like 2 extra choreography moves in the Olympic performance.

Well I see more obvious changes to the choreography when comparing the 2 videos (now that I have watched it). As I said I did not watch it before because I knew watching throughout the season that she made changes to the program But my point is that the changes during the season were better than what she started out with !

 

[Ven]

International Scandal Union - ISU

 

[ahy]

International Scandal Union - ISU

lol, but i agree with you...

 

[Ven]

Why did Alla SHEKHOVTSEVA judge all of Adelina's events this year?

Alla SHEKHOVTSEVA, the Russian judge indicated to have conflicts of interest, judged every single event that Sotnikova entered this season.

How many certified ISU judges does Russia have, and why would they send the same one to every single event?
Other than Olympics, she judged both short and long programs at Bompard, Cup of China, Grand Prix Final, Russian Nationals, and Euros. Plus Olympics free skate.

All were the events Sotnikova entered. Did she judge any others?

 

[WeakAnkles]

As you know, some medias such as ABC, CNN and ESPN criticized about the judgement at the ladies' figure skating. However, some companies like NBC and New York Times, they try to justify Sotnikova's winning. It can be possible because each person has different opinion.

New York Times compared Sotnikova's jump with Yuna's. But the problem is that New York Times manipulated the picture of Sotnikova's jump. They tried to say Sotnikova's jump was harder and higher. But it was not the same combination jump and they photoshoped the picture to make Sotnikova's jump look better.

Original NYT article: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2014/02/20/sports/olympics/womens-figure-skating.html
Rebuttal for that article: http://www.feverskating.com/fevers/sochi2014/65081423

Why Do Some US Media Companies Try To Deprecate Yuna? What is your opinion with this?

The New York Times has a long and storied history in the United States as "the newspaper of record." They are not for one moment going to jeopardize that reputation by printing a deliberately photoshoped picture of Sotnikova's jump.

Oy veh, this is getting to be like the Kennedy assassination and the McGruder home movie. Not everything is a conspiracy.

 

[dorispulaski]

The NYT has never been known to deliberately skew a sports report. Politics? Well maybe. Sports, no. And it is not like the U.S. has a dog in this hunt. It is much more likely that photoshopping is done by a highly partisan fan site than that the NYT would do something like that for a sports competition where the U.S. is not even a party in the dispute.

Plus these links have been posted again and again on this thread and do not need to be repeated.

 

[Glen Parry]

:agree:

Being based in the UK, I have the advantage that, for some unknown reason, I can read the NYT article, but not The Times (as in the one published in London) online without subscription, and have always got the impression that it is one of the serious broadsheets, which does take the trouble to actually research what it publishes and get the facts straight before going to press. It isn't going to risk this reputation over a subject in which, let's be honest, the USA has no direct interest.

Most of the sources being cited in support of a conspiracy are tabloid newspapers, internet compilers of the same, social media sites and those that appear to seek to promote such things on the basis that controversy sells (or garners hits on a site and thus generates advertising revenue).

So far, I have seen absolutely nothing that constitutes genuine evidence in support of any rigging of the result and many sources that, by their very lack of knowledge of the world; viz. their having completely overlooked the fact that there is no Eastern bloc any longer (the break up of which I remember well, as I stopped having to defend the Inner German Border against the Soviets and their allies), seem more concerned with rekindling the Cold War and stirring up controversy than reporting the truth.

I will however, give credit to this forum. You can gain more information as to the manner in which the current judging system works by reading some of the threads here than through hours of trawling the Interweb.

 

[Chamazing]

WOW this thread is 162 pages no matter what you discuss it will not change the fact that Adelina S has the gold and forever be an Olympic champion.... thanks to Mr. Putin for giving her the GOLD

 

[Sam-Skwantch]

Alla SHEKHOVTSEVA, the Russian judge indicated to have conflicts of interest, judged every single event that Sotnikova entered this season.

How many certified ISU judges does Russia have, and why would they send the same one to every single event?
Other than Olympics, she judged both short and long programs at Bompard, Cup of China, Grand Prix Final, Russian Nationals, and Euros. Plus Olympics free skate.

All were the events Sotnikova entered. Did she judge any others?

Take this as you will. This is from a news article dated 8-20-2002 and its a piece about the 2002 SLC scandal.

A week after the pairs competition, the ice dancing team of Marina Anissina and Gwendal Peizerat won France's first gold in figure skating since 1932. However, the Russian judge, Alla Shekhovtsova, voted for the second-place Russians not the French team, indicating that the scheme wasn't carried out the way prosecutors believe it was planned.

I'm not in the habit of getting news from Fox News but nevertheless that's where I found it.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/2002/0...have-contacted-six-skating-judges-police-say/

 

[sarahjane]

Trying to remember -- didn't the sequins hit the fan before the dance competition? If so, it would have been prudent not to put the French first.

Just saying.

 

[WeakAnkles]

Take this as you will. This is from a news article dated 8-20-2002 and its a piece about the 2002 SLC scandal.

I'm not in the habit of getting news from Fox News but nevertheless that's where I found it.
http://www.foxnews.com/story/2002/0...have-contacted-six-skating-judges-police-say/

2002 is not 2014.

 

[leafygreens]

WOW this thread is 162 pages no matter what you discuss it will not change the fact that Adelina S has the gold and forever be an Olympic champion.... thanks to Mr. Putin for giving her the GOLD

I'm glad you agree that's how it happened.

http://www.feverskating.com/fevers/64985230

Even though these quotes show pure class from Yuna, I feel as though people take these quotes to mean that the crooked judging is ok. "If Yuna doesn't have a problem, then neither do we." That is the wrong attitude. We need to stand up not only for Yuna but for other athletes who have been and will be adversely affected by the crooked judging.

Well, a women can easily meet a level 4 for a spin without the quality being great. But anyway, no competition was ever decided on the level of a single layback spin since the point differential is so small anyway - it's the racked up GOE that matters for spins really.

If Yuna gets lower GOE for middle-of-the pack form on spins, why doesn't Adelina get lower GOE for middle-of-the-pack form on jumps?

Way off topic but what's not to love about Yuna? Arguably the best skater ever or at least this era. She's like a wise owl who always floats above everything in terms of off ice. Now I'm gushing and I've seen that video countless times.

That's a perfect description.

 

[Mt. Adam]

Way off topic but what's not to love about Yuna? Arguably the best skater ever or at least this era. She's like a wise owl who always floats above everything in terms of off ice. Now I'm gushing and I've seen that video countless times.

Your statement is so true and makes me cry. Watching her videos, junior and senior seasons, is a good way for us to feel inner peace.