February 15, 2002
Canadian Press
Gold
for Sale and Pelletier
SALT LAKE CITY - Canadian
figure skaters Jamie Salé and David Pelletier are
gold medalists after all.
"I am actually speechless,"
Salé told CBC TV. "I can't express how I feel
right now."
The International Olympic Committee and International Skating
Union announced on Friday they had reached a deal to award
a second set of gold medals to the Canadians.
"Our skating speaks for
itself," Salé said. "Everyone knows what
we deserve."
The announcement ended what was
a long week for the skaters, who quickly became media darlings
after Monday night's pairs competition.
"It's been a crazy last
few days," said Pelletier.
He regretted the fact that the
circus around their situation took attention away from other
Canadian athletes.
Ottavio Cinquanta
At a joint news conference with
the head of the International Olympic Committee, ISU president
Ottavio Cinquanta said a meeting was held late Thursday
to discuss the controversy surrounding the results of the
competition.
He said Marie-Reine le Gougne,
the French judge at the centre of the controversy, had been
suspended.
Her results were thrown out,
creating a tie between the Canadians and the Russian pair
Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze.
The Russians will keep their
gold medals. A ceremony to present Salé and Pelletier
their gold medals will be held on Feb. 21, the last day
of skating for the Games.
International Olympic Committee
president Jacques Rogge announced the Canadians will be
awarded gold medals.
Jacques Rogge
Cinquanta said he had personally
spoken with le Gougne. "The council got enough evidence
that this individual was responsible for misconduct,"
he said. "They were not judged equally."
He wouldn't say exactly what
she had done, or what evidence had come to light.
Just two days ago Cinquanta told
reporters he was in no hurry to resolve the controversy.
But Rogge wanted to clear the
air of a controversy that had been casting a pall over the
entire Games.
Salé and Pelletier said
they had no interest in seeing the Russian pair have their
gold medals taken away.
"This was not something
against (the Russians)," Pelletier said. "This
was against the system.
"I hope the inquiry goes
on from here."
reprinted with permission
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