Hersh: BLR judge at 2017 Golden Spin reportedly under investigation by ISU

[Sylvia]

Latest by Phil Hersh: http://www.globetrottingbyphiliphersh.com/home/2017/12/19/figure-skating-judge-ethics-investigation
Excerpts:

Alexander Lakernik of Russia, the International Skating Union’s highest ranking figure skating official, said in an email that the ISU is “investigating the irregularities at the the Golden Spin of Zagreb.” That Challenger Series competition took place Dec. 6-9 in Zagreb, Croatia.
Sources have told Globetrotting that actions by Belarussian judge Alexandre Gorojdanov are at the center of the investigation. Gorodjonov had been selected to judge both parts of the senior ice dance event at Golden Spin but was replaced for the free dance, with no reason given.

Another judge at the competition, who was not working the dance event, became so concerned about Gorojdanov’s actions during the short dance that he shot video of what he saw happening. That led to a theater-of-the-absurd situation in which a coach angered by the filming took video of the judge taking video of the judging panel.
Globetrotting has obtained a 27-second clip from the video (see above), in which Gorojdanov is second from the right.

 

[Areski]

Latest by Phil Hersh: http://www.globetrottingbyphiliphersh.com/home/2017/12/19/figure-skating-judge-ethics-investigation

It's tragicomic if you consider that the person who made this statement (Mr Lakernik) was involved personally in ethically iffy deals and shenanigans in the past. Window dressing from ISU.

 

[kosjenka]

There we go.
I wonder how many complaints were filed on this matter. There were so many problems with judging in Zagreb in ice dance that is its difficult to put them all down. Its just a shame that consequences will not be there in time.

 

[casken]

Another judge at the competition, who was not working the dance event,

I wonder what judge it was?

That clip, shot while the judges were finishing the marking of U.S. team Rachel and Michael Parsons,

Ah.

 

[aftershocks]

Skirmishing toward another Olympic judging scandal perhaps?

 

[alchemy void]

It's tragicomic if you consider that the person who made this statement (Mr Lakernik) was involved personally in ethically iffy deals and shenanigans in the past. Window dressing from ISU.

I thought Lakernik was generally well-respected by the skating community?

 

[kirkbiggestfan]

It's 2017. Don't they send each other text messages instead of putting everything in the trash?
Are judges forbidden from using phones?

 

[gkelly]

It's 2017. Don't they send each other text messages instead of putting everything in the trash?
Are judges forbidden from using phones?

They are forbidden from bringing phones on the judges' stand.

http://isu.org/inside-single-pair-skating-ice-dance/figure-skating-rules/regulations-rules-fs/file

See pp. 55-56:
"Officials must...
not bring any form of electronic communication system to the panels stand."


I didn't know there was a trash basket. Do the papers get removed after each skater or each warmup group? If so, that would cut down on judges' ability to compare the later skaters' scores to the scores they'd given earlier. Which they're not supposed to be doing under IJS. But that would make it harder to try to counteract skate-order effects.

 

[Aussie Willy]

It's 2017. Don't they send each other text messages instead of putting everything in the trash?
Are judges forbidden from using phones?

Judges are definitely banned from using phones.

Having been on panels where you have people sitting behind you you have to be so careful about what you do because it could create impressions. Even reviewing elements again and again can be observed which can give the impression that the judges are not as competent as they should be.

 

[Aussie Willy]

They are forbidden from bringing phones on the judges' stand.

http://isu.org/inside-single-pair-skating-ice-dance/figure-skating-rules/regulations-rules-fs/file

See pp. 55-56:
"Officials must...
not bring any form of electronic communication system to the panels stand."


I didn't know there was a trash basket. Do the papers get removed after each skater or each warmup group? If so, that would cut down on judges' ability to compare the later skaters' scores to the scores they'd given earlier. Which they're not supposed to be doing under IJS. But that would make it harder to try to counteract skate-order effects.

It is not a rubbish bin. You are meant to put your marks aside after each skater and having a tray on the floor is common practice. Judges hold onto their papers for round table discussions later on.

I don't have a issue with picking the paper up to write something on it because you want to make sure your notes are in order. The concern in this case was the judge appearing to talk to another judge, looking at another judge's screen and then changing something after seeing the other judge's screen. I wouldn't have an issue with them changing something on their screen but it is everything else around that that is the concern here.

 

[aftershocks]

Well next, I suppose they will be putting up a wall to screen the backs of judges from everyone behind them. They should be thinking of ways to ferret out this type of collusion, and to campaign for more honesty and transparency in the judging process.

Regarding the earlier claims about Lakernik, why should it be hard to believe? The sport of figure skating has always been a cesspool of politicking. Obviously it was so very easy to be caught up in it, particularly in the good old days. Of course that doesn't mean that all judges are or have been involved in cheating, or even close to contemplating cheating and quid-pro-quo. However, no matter how well-liked and influential you become in the figure skating community, it doesn't mean you were never involved in quid-pro-quo as an influential ISU mover and shaker. European bloc-judging was a thing, and it was accepted on the down low, even if not ever officially condoned. What is the ISU if not mostly a miasma of political power and influence?

 

[kittyjake5]

Ahhh so the rumors seem to be true. Why am I not outraged or surprised......

 

[acraven]

Well next, I suppose they will be putting up a wall to screen the backs of judges from everyone behind them. They should be thinking of ways to ferret out this type of collusion, and to campaign for more honesty and transparency in the judging process.

At major events in the US, quite a number of rows of seats (10?) directly behind the judges are usually blocked off, with access restricted to people wearing credentials. Those seats are not sold to the general public, and seat-moochers are not welcome there.

 

[Visaliakid]

From Philip Hersh article is this little gem near the end...

In an ISU decision based on his inaction as a pairs referee at the 2016 Ondrej Nepala Memorial, the international federation had suspended Gorodjanov from January 13 through June 30 of this year because he “has violated the duties of a referee and the ISU Code of Ethics.”

 

[Tavi]

At major events in the US, quite a number of rows of seats (10?) directly behind the judges are usually blocked off, with access restricted to people wearing credentials. Those seats are not sold to the general public, and seat-moochers are not welcome there.

At Skate America 2015 my (paid) seats were in back of the judges and tech panel, up about ten rows. The rows below me were empty, but I was still close enough to see when they were reviewing a particular spin or jump. It was actually really interesting.

 

[haribobo]

Someone please contact Big Brother, they have this type of thing all figured out....

 

[winterchik]

WTF ..again...

 

[winterchik]

Ahhh so the rumors seem to be true. Why am I not outraged or surprised......

the problem is so many outcomes were based on the scores from this dance competition ...not fair

 

[Areski]

I thought Lakernik was generally well-respected by the skating community?

Maybe he is, but that's because there are worse devils out there you know Plus, he surely worked & contributed well for many years (in innocent ways) as well.

 

[overedge]

Yet another example of why the ISU has zero credibility when it comes to judging. It can revise its judging systems all it wants, but that makes no difference when there are individuals using the systems who have agendas other than assessing every skater fairly.

The overwhelming majority of judges take their jobs seriously and are honest, but when the ISU gives a minimal punishment to a judge who then goes out and allegedly commits another misbehavior - judges like this should be out of the sport for good. Suspensions are clearly not enough of a deterrent, and the ISU is an embarrassment for not doing something more substantive to clean up the problems with judging.

 

[Seerek]

The first thing that popped in my mind last week when the article came out was the Spanish Olympic ice dance selection being influenced...

Well, here it is...

http://www.globetrottingbyphilipher...-olympics-figure-skating-judging-inestigation

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Latest by Phil Hersh: http://www.globetrottingbyphiliphersh.com/home/2017/12/19/figure-skating-judge-ethics-investigation
Excerpts:

Man, is figure skating the most (or only) sport that is this political? Gymnastics to some degree?

 

[Japanfan]

Man, is figure skating the most (or only) sport that is this political? Gymnastics to some degree?

Aren't all sports political?

For example, there was a kerfuffle about hockey last year - IIRC NHL players' decided not to participate in the Olympics for financial reasons (may have got that all wrong). And wasn't the NHL season delayed by some months a few years ago, again for financial reasons? Politics were also at play in those situations.

I would think that more powerful federations hold more sway that less powerful federations in all sports. Those federations might have more power to choose referees, or referees might favor more powerful countries/federations.

 

[caseyedwards]

Boxing faced major controversies and radical redoing of its judging because it was not considered legit lots of times!

 

[AngieNikodinovLove (ANL)]

Aren't all sports political?

For example, there was a kerfuffle about hockey last year - IIRC NHL players' decided not to participate in the Olympics for financial reasons (may have got that all wrong). And wasn't the NHL season delayed by some months a few years ago, again for financial reasons? Politics were also at play in those situations.

I would think that more powerful federations hold more sway that less powerful federations in all sports. Those federations might have more power to choose referees, or referees might favor more powerful countries/federations.

yah but Im talking about where the Ukrainian judge is tapping his foot to signal the Russian judge And the French judge is swapping ordinals with Russian judges.

In figure skating its a whole different level of politics. Because your not being judged by a stopwatch politics favors in to figure skating quite heavily.

And then once your caught tapping your foot to tell another judge what you are doing the governing organization, the ISU in this case, slaps them on the hand and tells them no playing with their friends for the night. LOL

There is no ramification for cheating. Your banned from the gala dinner and thats about all.

Could you imagine if ISU decided Tonya Harding and not USFSA. Homegirl woulda been skating til Nagano.

One thing that still peeves me is that because Lithuania had no political officials behind it Drobiazko & Vanagas were never given credit for what they did in those days. But if you were from Russia you were in da club.

 

[overedge]

Man, is figure skating the most (or only) sport that is this political? Gymnastics to some degree?

Synchronized swimming has a pretty bad reputation for politicking among the judges/federations....

 

[Japanfan]

In figure skating its a whole different level of politics. Because your not being judged by a stopwatch politics favors in to figure skating quite heavily.

Is it the same for other judged sports, such as gymnastics, diving and dressage?

One thing that still peeves me is that because Lithuania had no political officials behind it Drobiazko & Vanagas were never given credit for what they did in those days. But if you were from Russia you were in da club.

I loved those two, and likewise felt they didn't get the credit they deserved.

 

[VGThuy]

In retrospect, I feel even stronger that they should have at least placed 3rd in the FD at SLC. It may not have been enough to get them a bronze medal but it was the correct placement.

 

[SmallFairy]

The Swedish commentators always pointed out that Povilas Vanagas was the best ice dancer in the world.

 

[ChiquitaBanana]

Synchronized swimming has a pretty bad reputation for politicking among the judges/federations....

ITA, synchronized swimming seems worst in my mind, they have upgraded to a codyfied point system which would help the audience to at least (false) believe they give notes for great elements and not just because they like the routine or because of the country...