LeGougne, Gailhaguet Banned for 3 years...

[Dustin]

...and the 2006 Olympics:

http://www.msnbc.com/news/744881.asp?0cm=c30

Why can't the ISU ban them for life like they should?

[Helen4]

Ditto:
A very good question for
Ottavio Cinquanta.
Skating means alot to me,
to have them do something like this means nothing.
Like before; the judges come back to do their own thing again.
Look what's happened over & over for the last 30 years.
I've watched skating along time now but,
this slap on the wrist will not help.
Cinquanta said " if he found someone do something wrong the ISU would come down very hard on them" He also assured us that.
Is 3 yrs. long enouh?
In my opinion the answer is NO.
They should be baned for live to curb the deal making if they are caught.

[loveskating]

From what I'm told, because those are not the rules of the ISU...very few organizations have any real punative rules, and could not do so and maintain their membership. It takes state power, government, and an organized police force and an army to enforce punitive measures such as "lifetime" evokes.

However, I suspect the ISU is doomed...they remind me of the Gang of 4 in China...very, very stupid, and totally relying on procedure and decorum when the other side is out to destroy them utterly and would stop at absolutely nothing to do so.