|
 |
What others are saying: Judges skating on thin ice
Toronto Globe and Mail
"All competitions are decided by fate," says Russian figure skater Anton Sikharulidze, one-half of this week's gold-medal winning pair. Fate has been kind to the excellent Russian pairs skaters, and before them the Soviets, who have won Olympic gold 11 consecutive times dating back 42 years. The question now is whether fate's normally capricious hand is being manipulated.
It is a difficult question to raise in a subjectively judged sport without giving the appearance of sour grapes at losing. To be sure, Mr. Sikharulidze and his partner Elena Berezhnaia skated well Monday night, if not without a stumble or two. But the International Skating Union's announcement Tuesday that it will hold an internal "assessment" of the allegations suggests the concerns cannot be dismissed as poor sportsmanship.
The Canadian pair, David Pelletier of Sayabec, Quebec, and Jamie Sali of Red Deer, Alberta, had won nine consecutive meets, including the most recent world championships. So stirring and flawless was their performance at Salt Lake City that they won the audience's heart — which proves nothing, since judges should not base their decisions on an applause meter. But the audience's reaction was echoed by some of those familiar with the inner workings of the skating world, including 1980 men's Olympic champion Robin Cousins, now a BBC commentator.
The perception of unfairness in figure skating is so widespread that the sport has become tainted.
Salt Lake City is swirling with allegations and innuendos regarding vote-trading judges involved in pairs figure skating and ice dancing. France is alleged (by the BBC's Robin Cousins, for one) to have agreed to favor the Russian pair in return for Russian support for its ice dancers — France not having a judge in the ice-dancing competition.
Why do figure skating and ice dancing seem so prone to allegations of manipulation, when other judged sports such as freestyle skiing, gymnastics and diving do not? Figure skating and ice dancing are the only judged sports that use ordinals (placements) to determine winners; the athlete who takes the majority of first placements wins. Some observers suggest this has led to bloc voting.
The allegations should be examined with as much vigor as allegations of performance-enhancing drug use. The athletes, winners and losers, are owed no less.
|
|
February 14, 2002
|
