The investigation continues....

[Debbie S]

...into the Oly pairs/dance scandal, from USA Today

http://usatoday.com/sports/olympics/2002-09-24-olympic-skating_x.htm


I wonder if Cinquanta and Didier will be skipping Worlds this year. Of course, Didier's already been banned, but the prospect of being interviewed by the FBI might actually do the trick.

[AxelAnnie22]

I have this vision of 1/2 of a panel of judges being "escorted" our of Skate America in handcuffs! Be still my heart :lol:

[adrianchew]

AP Version - San Francisco Chronicle (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2002/09/25/sports1048EDT0257.DTL)

[Anjelica]

COOL!!!!!!!!!!!

[Lark]

It is Christine Brennan though. She is very biased I believe. I do love her books.

[Emilieanne]

This is starting to heat up now...I could just imagine all this going down before the 114th Session of the IOC in Mexico City at the end of November...what a scene that would be. :twisted: That meeting is already going to be a hot one...this will only make that meeting even hotter:P The Italians are already in receipt of the formal request for extradition for the mobster...and since the New York Attorney's Office also interviewed Jon Jackson, Ron Pfenning and Sally Stapleford...those three will probably have to testify at the trial (if and when it's held). It sure would be nice not only if that trial did take place, but also if both Didier AND Speedy had to testify IN PERSON thereat. I would not be the least bit surprised if members of the IOC are so angry with Speedy and the ISU that if he even thinks about balking on testifying that he would be "made an offer he could not refuse" by the IOC. God only knows what will come out of that.8O :halo:

:twisted: I know this sounds awful, but this sure would be delicious:twisted: :!: :halo: :mrgreen:

[adrianchew]

Associated Press Article - Fox Sports (http://foxsports.lycos.com/content/view?contentId=681192)

It seems the ISU is trying to deflect any attention of the FBI investigations by using Le Gougne and Gailhaguet to take the blame. :roll:

[adrianchew]

USA Today Article (http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/winter/2002-09-26-us-skating-task-force_x.htm)

So the USFSA is trying to increase their powerbase in the ISU to be able to make more of a difference.

And quoting Jackson...

"If you're judging," he said, "you're a prop in Cinquanta's ice follies."

[loveskating]

Just for your information, no American, let alone a non-American, has to agree to being interviewed by the FBI. Its entirely voluntary.

However, these days, since the Patriot Act, I'm sure its very easy for the FBI to get a warrant to wire tap, so they will probably wire tap all these people they suspect while they are in the country.

Likewise, no one has to agree to being interviewed by the Southern District unless they are subpoenaed, and then they do have to respond, however, the problem with subpoenaing a witness is that the witness becomes "fair game" for both sides (prosecution and defense can both investigate and depose and cross examine at trial), so a prosecutor will not do so uncarefully (a witness can be disqualified and evidence can be ruled "not admissible" for various reasons, but this goes before the court). You don't want to subpoena someone whose testimony will wind up hurting your case.

In order to arrest somone, outside apparently for reasons of national security (there is apparently a secret court even for that), the law enforcement entity involved has to go before a court with probable cause in most circumstances, and get a warrant.

It is not likely that any of these skating officials or skaters from other countries will consent to being interviewed by the FBI. If I were them, I certainly would not, and would get myself a lawyer the second they asked to interview me...and be extraordinarily careful about what I said on the telephone, for that matter, since so much is subject to interpretation.

[Emilieanne]

I wonder how many of them are going to intentionally stay out of the USA for a while (bet Speedy does)...hate to say it, but Worlds in Washington could become a bust because of this.

Maybe being "interviewed" is voluntary, but I will bet that somehow those the FBI and the Southern District Court want to interview will literally "make them an offer they cannot refuse" although I am not sure what they can do, but I do know they can do something to achieve what they want.

[Emilieanne]

Somehow I think the FBI is so really focused on this one that they will NOT allow the ISU (or anyone else) to distract them in any way and that is something that is finally getting to the ISU powers-that-be (some of them are actually starting to really squirm). When the "mobster" gets extradited and goes to trial, God only knows what will come out. I am sure the prosecution is going to try to get him to implicate as many in the skating management hierarchy as possible and not just those that "manage" the ISU...other "officials" are likely to also be "fair game" here as well. This is going to be a real nightmare that will be impossible for the ISU to run away from.

We also do not know what else the IOC might have in store for the ISU. So many members of the IOC are so angry with Speedy and the ISU for the embarrassment caused in Salt Lake that they badly want their opportunity to pulverize the living daylights out of both Speedy and the ISU in their own way (who knows...maybe tar and feathers). The IOC wants to make it so that something like what happened in Salt Lake NEVER happens again and they are going to use the opportunity of the upcoming 114th Session in Mexico City this November to do exactly that.

[Blue Ridge]

By the time of Worlds, the legal authorities will either have enough on the person/people they are really after--international organized crime figures--or they will have concluded they aren't going to get what they need through investigating figure skating. In either case, this will be over by then so it won't effect the event. (Talking about the criminal investigation here, not reform of judging problems.)

[Debbie S]

Well, the USFSA has responded, somewhat - well, it's a start. And I applaud Jon Jackson for his comments - he'll probably get a lot of heat for it, but I hope others will speak out, too. It's too bad that he's turned down judging assignments, though - he's the kind of judge I suspect any skater would want on their panel.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/olympics/winter/2002-09-26-us-skating-task-force_x.htm

[Emilieanne]

Well, that shows what the guy (Jon Jackson) is really made of. For those who think that they will be able to get away with not cooperating, "obstruction of justice" seems to be something that is relatively easy for law enforcement to use to extract cooperation. The legal profession is going to be quite busy at competitions it seems.