Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Saturday

IOC Says Gold Medals to Canadian Skaters Will Be Awarded Tomorrow

Aired February 16, 2002 - 18:16   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: Not a day has gone by at the Winter Games that Team USA has not collected at least one medal. This Saturday no exception, and the day's competition isn't over yet.

Neither is the skating controversy that has clouded these games.

Joining us now from Utah, CNN Sports Illustrated's John Giannone. John, I know those medals are -- have arrived. When will they be awarded?

JOHN GIANNONE, CNN SPORTS ILLUSTRATED CORRESPONDENT: The announcement was made a short time ago by the Olympic committee. Those medals will be awarded tomorrow night, approximately 10:45 Eastern time, after the second round of competition in ice dancing. And it will be at the arena where Jamie Sale and David Pelletier skated their long program that they called as close to perfect as could get.

Now, it has not been officially announced yet, but there's a strong indication that the Russian gold medalists, Berezhnaya and Sakhirulidze, and also the Chinese bronze medalists, will appear at that ceremony and will take part in it.

Now, earlier today, Sale and Pelletier held a press conference, what they called their final public appearance at these Winter Games, a chance to restore some order in what has been an extraordinary week.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

DAVID PELLETIER, CO-GOLD MEDALIST: This is not about us and Anton and Elena. Don't create a situation that doesn't exist. This is not about me and him or us them. This is about us getting a fair chance to be judged fairly. This is -- that's all I have to see.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GIANNONE: Now, the only other piece of news to come out of the figure skating scandal, the head of the French skating federation, who is the man who was accused by the French judge of putting pressure on her to vote for the Russian pair, he did an interview today on French television, and he called the allegation, quote, "ridiculous."

Now, this is the eighth day of competition at the Winter Games, and for the eighth straight day, the Americans have picked up a medal, this time it's Joey Cheek (ph) roaring through a third place finish and a bronze medal in the men's 1,000-meter speed skating event.

Now, the marquee event this evening, an ice hockey match-up between the United States and Russia will take place approximately 9:00 Eastern time. It's a much-anticipated match-up, the U.S. a very impressive 5-0 win on Friday against Finland in their first game. Russia scored six goals against Belarus in its first match-up.

And finally, the U.S. women's hockey team, they had their own 5-0 win over Finland earlier today. They will have the top seed in the semifinal competition. In three Olympic games, the U.S. women's team has outscored the competition 27 to 1.

At the Winter Games in Park City, Utah, I'm John Giannone.

CALLAWAY: All right, thank you, John. You having a good time out there?

GIANNONE: Absolutely.

CALLAWAY: All right. Wish we were there. Thanks, John.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com