Figure skating: Still reeling from scandal
Shallah
80.xml
Quote:
Tai Babilonia, a pairs world champion with partner Randy Gardner in
1979, said that fact hit home during the pairs competition at last
year's Olympics. She was watching from the stands when the Russians
were announced as the winners. A few minutes later in the restroom,
she said a woman who recognized her as a skater approached her,
shaking her very expensive ticket in Babilonia's face.
"She said, 'I did not pay $275 to be lied to,'" Babilonia said.
"That's when I understood. You cannot make people pay that much money
and then confuse them like that. It was just so obvious. That lady was
livid. And I was saying, 'Hey, I agree with you.'"
Babilonia has an 8-year-old son she said has no interest in skating,
even though his mom still performs occasionally with Gardner in ice
shows. She doesn't mind. In fact, she said, "I don't know if I would
put my children in it right now, because after all the hard work, you
don't know if the best skater is going to win."
The ISU seems a long way from digging itself out of its mess. Button
said he was particularly dismayed to see two judges on the list of
those working the world championships who had been suspended for two
years collaborating on marks at the 1999 Worlds. He likened it to
hiring a convicted robber as a bank teller.
"It begins to tell you the depth of dishonesty in the sport of figure
skating," Button said.
--
Namaste,
Shallah
A Butterfly Can Start a Hurricane
Jeb
news:frufa.16449$pK4.1...@newsread1.prod.itd.earthlink.net...
> http://www.nj.com/sports/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-2/1048405308629
> 80.xml
>
> Quote:
>
> Tai Babilonia, a pairs world champion with partner Randy Gardner in
> 1979, said that fact hit home during the pairs competition at last
> year's Olympics. She was watching from the stands when the Russians
> were announced as the winners. A few minutes later in the restroom,
> she said a woman who recognized her as a skater approached her,
> shaking her very expensive ticket in Babilonia's face.
>
> "She said, 'I did not pay $275 to be lied to,'" Babilonia said.
> "That's when I understood. You cannot make people pay that much money
> and then confuse them like that. It was just so obvious. That lady was
> livid. And I was saying, 'Hey, I agree with you.'"
<sarcasm> Why, poor Tai must be confused. After all, there was no clear
winner. </sarcasm> I wonder how many other actual World/Oly champs were
also confused.
I did get a chuckle out of this, though..."I don't think there will be any
chicanery there," Button said. "The Americans aren't smart enough to be able
to play a Machiavellian role." Heheh, nice backhanded compliment, Unca
Dick.
Althealeo
though his mom still performs occasionally with Gardner in ice
shows. She doesn't mind. In fact, she said, "I don't know if I would put my
children in it right now, because after all the hard work, you don't know if
the best skater is going to win.">
The thing is, though, was it any less true when Babilonia skated?
-- Kate
cassie
> > "She said, 'I did not pay $275 to be lied to,'
>
> again to one of those fixed competitions. I'd rather
> see better skaters at SOI .. COI .. No way will I
> waste another penny to see / actually not see a bunch
> of no shows and has beens being handed the top
> places and a ton of money ... like they think I'm
> some stupid hick who would fall for it.
>
> johns
ITA with you.
janet swan hill
>
>That is the way I felt in Spokane this year. I won't go
>again to one of those fixed competitions. I'd rather
>see better skaters at SOI .. COI .. No way will I
>waste another penny to see / actually not see a bunch
>of no shows and has beens being handed the top
>places and a ton of money ... like they think I'm
>some stupid hick who would fall for it.
It would help if you had gone to the competition without preconceptions, or
with a stronger understanding of what constitutes well-balanced, quality
skating.
janet
Michael Farris
>
> It would help if you (johns: maf) had gone to the competition without preconceptions, or
> with a stronger understanding of what constitutes well-balanced, quality
> skating.
But Janet, don't you realize? He can do jumps on roller blades, he
knows so much more than anyone else. How can you doubt him?
-michael farris