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CNN Saturday Morning News

`Skategate' Results in Canadians, Russians Sharing Gold

Aired February 16, 2002 - 07:01   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.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: Now let's go back to Skategate, as they're calling it. The Canadian figure skaters, of course, say they're delighted that their dream of winning an Olympic gold medal finally came true. They say justice was done.

But even beside all of that, this scandal really isn't over just yet. Here's John Giannone with more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

JOHN GIANNONE, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): The decision came after a hastily called late-night summit of the International Skating Union and was almost unanimously confirmed by the IOC, a decision officials called "fair and just" and left two Canadian skaters polished with gold and one French judge forever tarnished.

DAVID PELLETIER, PAIRS CO-GOLD MEDALIST: You can argue all you like about what happened that night, but you cannot argue against the fact that there was something going on with the judges.

GIANNONE: Pelletier and partner Jamie Sale learned of their altered fates while watching Friday's press conference. For them, it was another powerful gust in a whirlwind week.

JAMIE SALE, PAIRS CO-GOLD MEDALIST: Definitely not what we expected, and it is very overwhelming for us. And we are tired, we are exhausted, and constantly having people come up to us and want to talk to us about it. But we have nothing to say.

PELLETIER: I was actually willing, the way I was starting to feel about the entire thing, to go down a skeleton ride without a helmet. Now I would put the helmet on.

SALE: I visualized my flag being in the middle and hearing my anthem, and I knew -- I felt that I could come here and skate my personal best. I was mentally and physically and emotionally prepared. And, yes, you bet, you're cheated out of that, big-time.

GIANNONE: In an effort to eliminate cheating among figure skating judges, the investigation into this slippery scandal will continue and reforms to the system should follow. As of now, no other evidence has been presented of a larger conspiracy.

JACQUES HOGGE, INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE PRESIDENT: This is a matter for the international federations. But we will talk with all the international federations who have subjective judgment and discuss with them to see where and when we can improve.

UNIDENTIFIED MALE: They want this to be the catalyst that causes changes in this sport, so that this can never happen again to anyone.

OTTAVIO CINQUANTA, INTERNATIONAL SKATING UNION PRESIDENT: Our duty is to do the utmost in order to prevent, to limit, this. You know, I repeat, subjective judging, subjective opinion are free, and it is impossible to control 100 percent.

GIANNONE (on camera): Cinquanta is a former world class speed skater whose knowledge of figure skating is admittedly limited, and that, according to one observer, is one of the problems in this scandal. As former Olympic champion Scott Hamilton said on Friday, quote, "In order for figure skating to be real figure skating, there needs to be a real governing body that's not a part of the ISU."

At the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, I'm John Giannone.

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