Wednesday, February 13, 2002
Judging reaffirms skating's bad rep
By KEVIN MASTERMAN -- Toronto Sun
The Toronto figure skating community said judges in Salt Lake City made an Olympic-size blunder when they crowned Russians atop the pairs final.
"I was shocked," said Bob Emerson, owner of the elite skating school -- the Richmond Hill Training Centre -- of the decision that left Canadian skaters Jamie Sale and David Pelletier sporting silver.
"It's one of the best skates I've seen them do," he said of the pair that have had a bumpy ride in the last year trying to hammer out a solid routine.
Emerson said the judges' decision showed a split in geography rather than a reflection of what they saw on ice.
'COULDN'T DO BETTER'
"They skated a clean program -- they couldn't have done any better," Emerson said.
His advice to Canadians was to take pride in the medal and not reduce the gold-medal effort to a silver sheen.
"We need to be proud of them."
At the North Toronto Skating Club yesterday, it was business as usual for instructor David Long, who viewed the decision as another chapter in the sometimes soap-opera storylines that too often plague the sport.
"All the negatives about skating get reaffirmed," said Long. "We saw this with Tonya (Harding) and Nancy (Kerrigan) and in judging the dancing competition in recent years."
When the Olympics roll around, Long expects a surge in young skaters and the sting of criticism of the judging, which comes down to personal opinion rather than "a puck in the net."
Long said he's learned in his 20 years of skating that disappointment is a part of the sport that every skater must shoulder.
"There have been times I skated well and was disappointed with the results and times I skated poorly and did well," Long said.
But one volunteer involved in skating said the result will only put the sport on thinner ice as many girls are now opting for hockey instead.
Jessica Urback, who took to the ice at the Yonge and Eglinton arena, found the result "a little discouraging" but said she is focused on having fun rather than fame and fortune.
The nine-year-old said Sale and Pelletier remain heroes no matter how they finished.
2002 Games Figure Skating Coverage
