...for Sale and Pelletier! Breaking news! It seems that there was convincing evidence that the French judge was influenced to vote for the Russians. She has been suspended and her marks eliminated, as far as I can understand. This leaves the Canadians and Russians in a tie and therefore they will both get the Gold. Justice is served!
http://sports.espn.go.com/oly/winter02/figure/news?id=1333280 "The highly unusual decision by top Olympic and skating officials also allows the Russian pair to keep their gold medal, which was narrowly won during Monday night's free skate program." That's lame...
Good for them! I'm glad someone recognized this and did something about it. The only bad thing is that the article makes it sound like the Canadians didn't really deserve it. I'm glad they got what they deserved thought. Yeah Canada!!!
I'm amazed they made any change at all, so I'm happy with that much. moestavern19: I think these people care. http://bbs.clutchcity.net/showthread.php?s=&threadid=28952 I you don't, don't read it.
two golds??? "there can only be one best...but you're both best in this scenario!!" it would suck if you're the russians...but would you really want to keep the gold if you were them under these conditions??
Why can't they have a tag team death match to see who keeps the gold? j/k it's nice to see a little justice in the world!
I read today that there was a precedent for giving out more than one gold although the article didn't mention what the other case was. I say it was the right thing to do if there was evidence the voting was skewed. But I wonder if there was or if they did this just to get the controversy overwith. I saw a US figure skating figure say 'we thought Kerrigan beat Oksana but we weren't griping about it,' so I'd have to repeat that I hope the evidence was overwhelming for them to do this.
I think the issue with Kerrigan was a little different. I remember watching it and thinking how wonderfully she skated. I thought she had it. But I remember seeing Baiul skate too and she was wonderful. As far as I know, the whole world didn't think Kerrigan won hands down. With this one, the whole world, except Russia, thought the Canadians had it. I thought they were great...absolutely perfect. The Russians were stiff; they looked uncomfortable with the routine and that impacts the artistry of it, IMO. The Russians messed up too. There was a clear winner here (Canada) where there was not one with Kerrigan/Baiul. That was a close call and perhaps it could have gone either way. Does that make it clearer? If anyone knows that any of this is wrong, please let me know. I wish they could have stripped the medal from the Russians, but I understand why they can't.
One other case involved a Canadian too. In this case there was actually video of the Brazilian judge going to the head judge immediately after the mark was displayed and asking for it to be changed, and the head judge wouldn't allow it. The American (who incidentally was the wife of then Toronto Blue Jay's third baseman Paul(?) Sprague) was defiant the whole time and has kept her Gold medal to this day. How would feel winning the gold like that, eh? The awarding of the second gold didn't come until months later. I think the public outcry in this case was so loud it threatened the integrity of the sport, so they had to act fast of lose HUGE credibility.
I hate in when those darned Canadians flex their international muscle on the rest of world. Just because they are bigger than everyone else..... It is justice, that Canadian couple won the <i> contest </i> (note I didn't say competition or sporting event). Incidentally Bauil did make a mistake, Kerrigan didn't, but the total thing was much more obvious and transparent this time. Princess, you did a very good job IMO in describing the events and this context. This gold medal for the Canadian pair will get will sit nicely with the Silvers they will get in hockeys after they are defeated by the ole USA in the Gold Medal rounds.
If the french judgewas pressured, then it was obviously done by the russians. Panalyze them and take away the gold. Canada CLEARLY won the gold, it's not even questionable. I still beleive russians are getting off easy. I also hope they do the ceremony again and play Canada's national anthem.
I'd prefer to see the Russians stripped of their gold as well, but congratulations, anyway . I salute your and your countrymen. After all, it's good for us, too, when the 51st state does well.... (jk)
We'll see about that Yankee boy! (Yankee doesn't really work on a southerner, though, does it.) Ain't gonna be no miracle for you this year!
