Wednesday, February 13, 2002
Sale's mom proud of skating pair's character
By RACHEL EVANS -- Edmonton Sun
Amid a storm of controversy, Jamie Sale's mom is still proud of her daughter's silver-medal performance - and grace under pressure - with skating partner David Pelletier.
"The biggest thing she and David developed was character," said mom Patti Siegel, who flew home to Edmonton from the Salt Lake City Winter Olympics yesterday.
"The sport is just as much about character as about victory. I think they demonstrated both of those. I'm proud of the tenacity and the determination they skated with. I'm proud of the way they handled the disappointment."
Siegel said it was a "shock" that the couple didn't win the gold Monday night, but the outpouring of disbelief and support from fans and others in the community has touched her heart.
"My initial reaction was one of disbelief," she said. "Jamie and David skated the skate of their lives. In everybody's hearts they were gold. The other is a piece of metal. I know people are disappointed. That's touching. That helps a lot."
Siegel, who attended the event with her mother, said she saw Sale for only a short while at the Canada Lodge early yesterday morning.
"I had a chance to hug my little girl and wear her medal for a while," she said.
The mother and daughter didn't discuss the controversial decision to award the gold medal to the Russians who, in Siegel's mind, didn't have as flawless a skate as Sale and Pelletier.
"It's the fact that it seemed to be clear (that the Canadian performance was better)," Siegel said. "Maybe the judges are looking for something unique, something we don't see. Not that the silver is not a victory."
Siegel said an inquiry called by the International Skating Union may change how judging is done at future events and make judges more accountable, but she doubted it would give the Canadian skaters the gold.
"They would never change the decision," she said. "That in my mind has never happened. They can't go to (Russians Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze) and take their gold away."
Siegel said the decision to award the gold to the Russians could make the sport lose fan support.
"The building was clearly full of very negative energy," she said. "That's not good for the Olympics or for the sport."
The proud mother said she doubted there would be much talk about the controversy among the family when the skaters return home.
She doesn't know what the pair's plans are, but expects they will continue showing their talents at other competitions.
"I suspect they're going to go to the Worlds and show their stuff," she said. "She inspires me."
2002 Games Figure Skating Coverage
