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Canadian Figure Skaters Get Gold, Russians Furious
Yahoo ^ | 2/15/02 | Adrian Warner

Posted on 02/15/2002 11:42:28 AM PST by The_Victor

Snip of redundant material

...

"The council got enough evidence that this individual was responsible for misconduct. They (the skaters) were not judged equally."

Cinquanta said le Gougne had "practically admitted" she had been put under pressure during a meeting at which the American referee Ron Pfenning had been present. Earlier this week, Cinquanta said Pfenning had handed him a letter containing "certain allegations".

He added if a judge received pressure at any time the referee had to be informed.

RUSSIANS FURIOUS

"This did not happen in the case of Mrs. Le Gougne," Cinquanta said.

He said a council meeting on Monday would decide how long the suspension would last.

Pelletier and Sale told Canadian television after the announcement that justice had been done.

"Everyone knows what we deserve and we know what we deserve and we are taking that home with us and that's all that matters," Sale said.

"This is not about us and the Russians, this is about the sport we love dearly and justice was done, and that is a good feeling," said Pelletier.

"I hope it's not going to stop the cleaning of (figure skating's) house here," he added.

Sale said: "We just want the truth to come out and I think for the future of our sport this had to be fixed."

The Russian team reacted furiously to Friday's decision, describing it as a huge blow to the Olympic spirit.

Russian Olympic Committee official Rudolf Nezvegsky told Reuters: "By doing this, they just struck a huge blow, not only to the Olympic spirit of fair competition but also to the whole nature of sport.

"It went against any moral and ethical norms that exist in sport where athletes, not lawyers, compete against each other on the slopes and in the sports arenas and not in back rooms," Nezvegsky said.

"Mr Rogge, who has just become IOC president, probably does not understand what he has done for the sports movement for future Olympic Games (news - web sites)," Nezvegsky added.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: olympicslist
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To: The_Victor
In a subjective sport why should the subjectivity stop when the event ends? Heck, I'd love to see them make further changes to the standings in a month, a year, a decade.

Now...try to do that with the 3000 meter skate. The CLOCK says......something indisputable.

41 posted on 02/15/2002 12:04:53 PM PST by xzins
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Comment #42 Removed by Moderator

To: Tennessee_Bob
Compared to some of the things I've seen lawyers get called, that was pretty mild.

That's a good point, and the fact that I'm not an athlete doesn't really help my case. I withdraw my objection.

43 posted on 02/15/2002 12:07:18 PM PST by Dog Gone
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To: Lumberjack
Russia should bomb Canada.

They will...but America first.  Right click on our homepage and scroll to prophecies.  A.A. Allen wrote specifically to this issue.

44 posted on 02/15/2002 12:07:34 PM PST by 2sheep
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To: The_Victor
That's why I have just turned the whole circus off. And I love ice skating. But I won't be played by these bozos. To hell with them.
45 posted on 02/15/2002 12:07:49 PM PST by Zviadist
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To: The_Victor
Political correctness is all over the place like a flesh rotting disease.

What's next, everybody gets the gold so nobody will get mad.

Those that do not do well in a contest because to tell the truth they were not good enough even for bronze need not worry the judges are for sale.

All you have to do is lodge a complaint and raise enough stink and you can go for the bronze, silver or gold and be assured you will be satiated.

The Olympic judging is in the same boat as anyother sport, all officials are for sale!!

Where's the "Agony of Defeat" if all compete and all are awarded, by special dispensation("pissin and moanin"), first place??

46 posted on 02/15/2002 12:08:05 PM PST by VOYAGER
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To: The_Victor
Picture this in your mind:

Furious ice skaters (in puffy shirts).

heheh. Raving smurfs.

47 posted on 02/15/2002 12:08:18 PM PST by Ol' Sox
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To: Stefan Stackhouse
Can't say these canadians don't have a wonderful sense of humor. That said they certainly have behaved in a most dignified manner throughout!
48 posted on 02/15/2002 12:08:21 PM PST by OldFriend
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To: mickie
So you are arguing the word, pressure, and prefer to ignore the admission of cheating by the French judge????
49 posted on 02/15/2002 12:09:56 PM PST by OldFriend
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Comment #50 Removed by Moderator

To: The_Victor
"Cinquanta said le Gougne had 'practically admitted' she had been put under pressure during a meeting at which the American referee Ron Pfenning had been present."

And, who was it that applied that pressure? How come that person or persons has not been censured as well?

Where's the uproar? Both the briber and the bribee should be punished!

51 posted on 02/15/2002 12:13:10 PM PST by Real Cynic No More
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To: Serge
Most Europeans approve of cheating?
52 posted on 02/15/2002 12:13:19 PM PST by mewzilla
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To: Serge
I'm just sitting here with a delicious feeling that the FRENCH ARE GETTING THEIRS, THE BIG CHEESE EATING SURRENDER MONKEYS. It is like the smell of napalm in the morning. The flash of a daisycutter. It is simply the best feeling in the world.
53 posted on 02/15/2002 12:13:59 PM PST by cajungirl
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To: Serge
I guess I don't quite understand why Europeans would retaliate against American athletes. The issue involved Canadians, Russians, and a corrupt French judge.
54 posted on 02/15/2002 12:15:01 PM PST by Dog Gone
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To: The_Victor

55 posted on 02/15/2002 12:15:11 PM PST by Redcloak
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To: Serge
will laugh at american athletes at any competitions happens to be there,

Sounds like you Europeans are used to corruption. Just another attempted bribe and strong-arming of a judge - business as usual. No wonder you Euros won medals in these "judging" sports.

56 posted on 02/15/2002 12:15:26 PM PST by Lent
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To: VOYAGER
All you have to do is lodge a complaint and raise enough stink and you can go for the bronze, silver or gold and be assured you will be satiated

The public and the media were the ones raising the stink, not the skaters themselves. The skateres, in fact, told reporters that they felt horribly about SkateGate overshadowing the performances of the other athletes.

57 posted on 02/15/2002 12:15:42 PM PST by HennepinPrisoner
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To: Serge
What IS your problem? The Canadians were robbed, and the French judge admitted to it. Two golds for the same event has been done before. Probably should have been done in this instance in the first place.

As for the mens finals last night, I think the results were appropriate. But, I think Yagudin, barely squeeked by Plushenko.

It's just good to see that justice prevailed and that the Canadians will receive the gold that they deserved.

58 posted on 02/15/2002 12:18:18 PM PST by ET(end tyranny)
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To: The_Victor
"Everyone knows what we deserve..."

Yeah. We know.
Silver.


59 posted on 02/15/2002 12:18:47 PM PST by Bloody Sam Roberts
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To: cajungirl
'I love the smell of napalm in the morning, and the flash of the daisycutter'-Priceless!
60 posted on 02/15/2002 12:19:35 PM PST by codebreaker
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