Sunday, February 17, 2002
Sale, Pelletier can thank Pound
By GEORGE GROSS -- Corporate Sports Editor
Thank you, Richard Pound. I'm taking the liberty to thank you on behalf of Canada, Canadian sports fans, Jamie Sale and David Pelletier and their respective families for your behind- the-scenes work in helping the Canadian figure skaters gain their justly deserved gold medal in pairs.
It has been rather strange not to see Montreal's Dick Pound, former vice-president of the International Olympic Committee and chairman of the IOC's marketing commission, become involved in the dispute over the skating scandal.
After all, Pound is not only chairman of WADA (World Anti-Doping Association), but also was the recently appointed poohbah of the most important commission of the IOC, the one that will decide the extent of future Olympic Games, their size, or better still, their downsizing.
Figure skating has been on shaky grounds in that regard since the Olympic Games in Nagano in 1998. It had to do with judging of the dance competition and Pound talked openly about dropping ice dancing from the Olympic menu.
Then came the current scandal involving a French judge -- whose name I rather prefer to forget -- and four sinister no-goodniks from the eastern bloc.
Something had to be done to save the sport before it drowns on frozen waters.
Canadian and world fans screamed loud and clear over the unfair and downright crooked judging in the pairs competition.
Pound didn't scream. He went about his job as a Canadian and talked to Dr. Jacques Rogge, the man who defeated him in the race for the IOC prsidency last July in Moscow, a defeat orchestrated by the old villain, Juan Antonio Samaranch, past president of the august body.
Pound didn't scream at Rogge. He talked to him like a father would to a son who is treading in uncharted waters.
Rogge, you see, is a fine orthopedic surgeon. He might even be a fine person, too.
But the only experience he had with Olympic Games was as chef de mission of the Belgian team and as a member of the co-ordination commission for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. And you know the troubles they are having.
Without trying to boast about his achievement, Pound yesterday admitted to me that he had talked to Rogge after Ottavio Cinquanta, president of the International Skating Union, had said that the judges' decision could not be reversed.
"It was important to have him (Rogge) understand that it isn't only the International Skating Union that is on trial, but the future of the sport as a whole," Pound said.
"I explained to Rogge that there had to be a quick solution. He understood and acted on it."
Pound also disagreed with those observers who claimed that Sale and Pelletier would have made more money as victimized silver-medallists than as belated gold medal winners.
"I don't think that is right," said Pound, a man who is a marketing expert and who signed multi-billion-dollar contracts with television networks and major sponsors on behalf of the IOC. "They will be pictured (in the marketing field) as victims who were vindicated.
"The two of them played it perfectly and will come out of it strong (and with profits.)"
Meanwhile, Pound is back at the IOC conference room table as one of the most influential members of the IOC and, perhaps, its most influential personality.
GROSSLY ABBREVIATED: It was a national holiday yesterday for the naysayers following Canada's 5-2 thrashing at the sticks of Mats Sundin and his Tre Kroner teammates. You will pardon me if I don't join in on the celebrations. Cries of aging stars being too slow on the big ice surface, Curtis Joseph being over the hill at 34, the defence and backcheckers operating at the speed of Canada's women's national team, and so on, were heard on the streets, in pubs and on call-in radio shows. Some blame the absence of Joe Thornton for the defeat. Relax people. There was big panic 30 years ago when the Soviets beat us 7-2 at the Montreal Forum in the first game of the Summit Series. Just remember who won the deciding game in Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium thanks to Paul Henderson's acrobatics. Talk to me again on Feb. 25 after Canada's gold medal win.
2002 Games Figure Skating Coverage
