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| Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir |
The French magazine L’Equipe says it has learned that the U.S. and Russian Olympic judges have struck a deal to help each other out at Sochi skating events. The scheme is said by L’Equipe to specifically target Canada’s Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir and their chances of winning the gold medal. The magazine quotes a Russian coach, who spoke to the magazine on the condition of anonymity about the “proposed barter” between the two countries. According to the magazine, the anonymous official said the U.S. has agreed to help Russia win the pairs figure skating and team events. In exchange, Russia would purportedly ensure Meryl Davis and Charlie White of the U.S. win gold over Canadian champions Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir. “I stay clear of that stuff,” Mike Slipchuk, Skate Canada’s high performance director, told the Canadian Press. “I have full confidence that the skaters go out and do their job, they will do their job on the ice, the judges will judge it as they see it.” Problem is. the sport of figure skating has been here already. In 2002, a French figure skating judge at the Salt Lake events, confessed that she had been pressured to fiddle with the scores to help the Russian figure skating team. When the scam was exposed, the Olympic Committee had to give a gold medal to Canada’s Jamie Sale and David Pelletier. World opinion had already concluded the two were the best team. CBC
