The Figure Skating Controversy of the 2002 Winter Games
IOC awards gold to Canada skaters
http://www.msnbc.com/news/705743.asp
Judging Scandal Mars 2002 Olympic Pairs Event
http://inlineskating.about.com/library/weekly/aa020212.htm?iam=dpile&terms=Pelletie
New Canadian Team Rises
http://figureskating.about.com/library/weekly/aa012300a.htm?iam=dpile&terms=Pelletier
Sale and Pelletier Profile and Competition History
http://inlineskating.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.pairsonice.com/profileview.asp%3Fpid=52
Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze Profile and Competition History
http://inlineskating.about.com/gi/dynamic/offsite.htm?site=http://www.pairsonice.com/profileview.asp%3Fpid=7
Olympic Medals by Date
http://www.msnbc.com/d/oly2002/medaldate_02.asp
The International Olympic Committee awarded Canada's figure skating pair, Jamie Sale and David Pelletier, a gold medal Friday in an attempt to resolve a judging controversy that has dominated the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. The highly unusual decision by top Olympic and figure skating officials also allows the Russian pair, Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze, to keep their gold medal, which was narrowly won during Monday night's free skate program. Also during the Friday news conference, the International Skating Union suspended French figure skating judge Marie-Reine Le Gougne for false voting during Monday's figure skating competition after reports that she was pressured into casting her vote for the Russians.

This highly controversial situation began Monday when Canadian skaters Sale and Pelletier were beaten by Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze of Russia after a 5-4 vote that astonished the commentators as well as many observers. The Canadians skated a flawless program after a technically flawed performance by the Russians. Consequently, the gold medal decision allowed the Russians to prolong their streak of winning gold in the pairs division of every Olympics since 1964. For more information regarding this Olympic controversy, viewers can click on the first two sites listed above. Sites three and four provide history and background information on the Canadian skating pair, while the fifth site provides background information on the Russian pair. Finally, the last site provides access to MSNBC's Olympic Medal Page, which lists medals won by sporting events. [MG]
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