Most Controversial Judging Decisions Ever

[tony]

So LeGoyne (sp?) was pressured to vote for the Canadians and NOT B/S???? Never heard that one before.

Yes. Listen to the interview. She also wrote a book about it.

She changed her original story and said that she was pressured and threatened by Canadian fans(?) I think it was, and that's why she made up the Federation story. But that makes no sense-- throwing her own Federation/country under the bus before she throws awful Canadian fans under the bus?

I think it reads more like this: she really did crumble under the pressure of having a guilty conscience in the moment, told her story, and then her Federation (Didier and whoever else) promptly told her to change her tune. And let's be honest, Canada was always at the center of complaining about scores with B/K at the previous Olympics (and B/K themselves whining at times within that cycle), so Didier probably thought that story would be somewhat believable.

 

[Fiero425]

Yes. Listen to the interview. She also wrote a book about it.

I don't think I need to listen; well known that deals were struck with some judges to give GOLD in 2 different disciplines! That was why they went to blind scores to eliminate or at least slow down some criticisms at competitions; ultimately going to new scoring system later! Shady goings on continue as far as I'm concerned! Certain skaters have been predetermined to place and something serious like crashing into the wall can only change it! Speaking of crashing, Alexei Yagudin crashed into the wall at '01 Goodwill Games trying to complete a 4T/3T combo in the SP to keep up with Plushenko! There was no room, but he'd been dropping comp. after comp. to Yvgeny from the previous season and knew he needed to score as high as possible to give himself a chance! Even though hitting the ice twice and popping his 3A, he still wound up with a Bronze medal behind Michael Weiss! It was ridiculous to see Alexei getting rewarded for that performance with blood coming out of his ears IIRC! I personally love "Winter" and felt if he got his act together, little should stop him from having a great season as he ultimately did culminating in OG and World champ. in '02! - - - Update: B/S = E. BEREZHNAYA AND A. SIKHARULIDZE

 

[twinklestar]

Watch the videos on youtube. Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze were SUBLIME. And read the comments under the videos.

 

[JanetB]

Watch the videos on youtube. Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze were SUBLIME. And read the comments under the videos.

A judge cheated so it doesn't matter if Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze were SUBLIME, which in my opinion they were not.

 

[Andora]

Watch the videos on youtube. Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze were SUBLIME. And read the comments under the videos.

Oh, good Lord, I would never recommend reading the comments on YouTube, or any posted news article. Talk about the worst of the worst of ourselves.

I would agree that B&S were sublime... in the short program.

 

[blue_idealist]

So LeGoyne (sp?) was pressured to vote for the Canadians and NOT B/S???? Never heard that one before.

Yeah, I read The Second Mark and got a totally different story.

 

[Ohyes]

I remember and I love it!

Definition of tacky more like. Junior choreo teas.

 

[Vagabond]

Yes. Listen to the interview. She also wrote a book about it.

I spotted a copy in the Fiction section of my local bookstore but didn't even bother reading any of it.

 

[Limonite]

I think what bugs me the most about S&P vs. B&S is remembering how Scott Hamilton went out of his way to justify G & G's gold over M & D in '94, which was a pretty similar situation if the years have not tricked me - a program with a few minor errors beating a program that was pretty much error-free - and yet '02 I think it was Scott again contributing to the frenzy instead of engaging in that kind of explanation.

Scott Hamilton and his "Passion vs. Perfection". G&G where everything but perfect that night. Every time I watch M&D's Rach 2 LP, I have to stop before the marks; I just can't stand watching the disappointment in their faces. Terrible judging. And, to make matters worse, two judges put them in second place, behind Brasseur & Eisler! found that insulting .

 

[Foolhardy Ham Lint]

Apparently, B/S and Moskvina weren't above head games, though. According to Jamie Sale, when she and David Pelletier were preparing for their free skate, their ritual was to find a quiet spot to mentally prepare by themselves away from their competitors. Not that time. B/S walked over and hovered right next to them.

Maybe doing that however, had the reverse psychological effect B/S had hoped, as it potentially gave Jamie the spark to light the fire within.

 

[Colonel Green]

As far as SLC goes, I think it's entirely fair to argue either way as to who "should" have won. You can make plausible cases for both, a lot of it down to personal preference in terms of style, how much value you place on cleanliness, etc. That's not remotely unusual in the sport, before or since.

What was different about SLC, and the reason it had the outcome it did, is that it was proven that the judging was literally fixed, as opposed to that being speculative or just "bad judging" of the sort that is merely a feature of the sort rather than something actively arranged (e.g., reputation judging). Angry television commentators, etc. wouldn't have actually prompted a revising of the results.

That being the case, the outcome we got was the only fair one under the circumstances.