2002 Olympic Winter Games Figure Skating Scandal - Immediate Aftermath

Immediate Aftermath

The Canadian press and public were outraged by the result. The American press were also quick to take up the cause of the Canadian pair. NBC, in particular, continued to play up the story and advocate the Canadians' cause.

Some in the United States and many in Russia, however, felt that Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze had deserved their win, and that it should not be marred by the alleged dishonesty of a single judge. Some also highlighted the contrast in the reactions to Sale/Pelletier's win at the 2001 World Championships, held in Canada. The Canadian were awarded gold despite Sale falling on the triple toe loop in the short program and then singling her double axel in the long. There was no media controversy and no investigation was launched.

In response to Canadian and American outcry, International Skating Union (ISU) President Ottavio Cinquanta announced in a press conference a day after the competition that the ISU would conduct an "internal assessment" into the judging decision at its next scheduled council meeting. After many hostile questions from the press, Cinquanta also admitted that the event referee, Ron Pfenning, had filed an official complaint about the judging. Later on February 13, International Olympic Committee (IOC) Director General François Carrard held a press conference in which he publicly urged the ISU to resolve the matter as quickly as possible.

On February 15, due to the constant pressure from the media Cinquanta and IOC President Jacques Rogge, in a joint press conference, announced that Salé and Pelletier's silver medal would be upgraded to a gold. Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze were to keep their gold medal as well, since there was no evidence of wrongdoing on their part, and the majority felt that they, in fact, deserved it, as was the opinion of four of the other eight judges on the panel. Both pairs' point totals were thrown out. First time in history, the awarding ceremony was repeated, which Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze accepted to attend. The Chinese pair, Shen Xue and Zhao Hongbo, declined to attend the ceremony, considering it as farce. Le Gougne was suspended effective immediately for "misconduct."