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IOC's gold-medal performance
Deseret News editorial
There's a new sheriff in town.
That became apparent Friday in Salt Lake City, host city for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.
When it was announced that not only would Canadian skaters Jamie Sale and David Pelletier be awarded gold medals but that French judge Marie-Reine Le Gougne was being suspended indefinitely, the credibility of the International Olympic Committee soared like Switzerland ski jumper Simon Ammann.
This clearly is not the "business as usual" approach that has defined the IOC for decades.
International Skating Union president Ottavio Cinquanta made the official announcement, but the real push behind getting what had become known as "Skate Gate" resolved was IOC president Jacques Rogge.
There is more to be done and those in authority — presumably primarily the ISU — need to continue the investigation and then take appropriate action. Le Gougne told the ISU that she had been pressured by her own skating federation to vote for the Russian figure skating pair, Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze. The head of the French Olympic team, Didier Gailhaguet, denied that allegation.
It's doubtful Le Gougne acted on her own. Those connected with the misconduct need to be identified and, like Le Gougne, punished.
At least in the short term, the controversy has been resolved. Even though the ISU originally didn't want to proceed until a planned meeting for Monday, in order to gather additional evidence, the burgeoning controversy was starting to take over the Games.
Rogge recognized that and used his office to make sure it wouldn't happen. What was announced Friday may not have been a perfect outcome of all that has surrounded the pairs figure skating judging but it was a proper resolution.
Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze deserved to keep their gold medal. They did their best Monday night and received gold medals for that effort. They are not responsible for the actions of the judges.
However, when the investigation determined that the French judge's decision had been compromised, it was appropriate to disregard it and also award gold medals to Sale and Pelletier.
Following the controversy attached to Salt Lake City's obtaining the Olympic bid, the IOC has made significant favorable changes in the bidding process.
Similarly, the IOC has become more dedicated to ridding the Olympics of doping scandals — some of which are detailed in a column on the opposite page.
That same focus and dedication needs to be applied to judging. As with many sports, there has to be room for differences of opinion. As has been noted in a variety of reports following Monday's figure skating competition, some judges favor certain styles of skating, such as a classical style, while others favor more contemporary styles.
What has to be eliminated, though, is deliberate misconduct, such as that associated with the French judge. Whether that conduct is vote trading or any other form that subverts the normal judging process, it must not be allowed to continue.
Rogge, who is staying with the athletes in the athletes' village, is showing that the athletes, not nationalism come first.
The ISU and other organizations associated with the Olympics need to follow his lead.
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February 16, 2002
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