Skate Canada Tops Globe Sports 2002 Losers List

[RZambo]

The Globe and Mail Annual 2002 Sports Losers report was published today. See article Link attached. The report suggests that Skate Canada led by Marilyn Chidlow displayed ineffective leadership in advancing Canada's position on the world scene and implies that the current leadership is simply an extension of the former regime under David Dore. I am curious to hear reader / subscriber comments to this rather auspicious recognition.:

http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/sports/RTGAM/20021206/wlosers/Sports/sportsBN/breakingnews-sports

[kia]

Marylin Chidlow is doing what we all know is required by the ISU and the mafia of skating. Why doesn't she speak to Sally Stapleford on what happens to any-one who stands up to them.?

[gandalf]

I guess I wouldn't expect a Cdn news organization to at least consider the possibility that maybe B&S did deserve gold or that B&K have never skated a World-championship worthy program but c'est la vie....

In the author's defence, when it became clear in SLC that there were judging improprieties (i.e. AFTER Marie RLG came forward about being pressured, etc), Chidlow should have insisted that an external probe take place, not because the public and media thought that S&P deserved gold, but because a judge had made a statement about being pressured to vote a certain way.

As for the voting that took place this summer, I have no idea what Gorshkov's qualifications are but if Chidlow had voted for Shaw simply because she was Cdn, that would have put her in the same category as everyone else who votes purely along nationalistic lines.

[Lee]

As I said on another board, the author of this piece says it is speculation that a deal was done for Dore. In fact, Dore was approached after the first day of meetings, by other federations, to run for the position of VP Figure Skating. If you will recall, the first day of the Figure Skating meetings were chaos while the merits of the various scoring proposals were discussed. There was absolutely no semblance or any control or order to the meeting. This was reported in USA Today. Several federations approached Dore to run as he was well-known as a good administrator.

As for Chidlow voting for Gorshkov, well, guess what folks? He won the election...I guess that means more than just Chidlow voted for him, eh? Perhaps Chidlow voted for the person she felt best able to handle the position? There was no *deal* made.

FWIW, I've spoken with several sources close to the PTB in both Canada and the US and they all corroborate this story.

People have no idea what happened behind the scenes at the Olympics during the period of the scandal. Skate Canada didn't broadcast all the actions they took -- and nor should they have to. SC's job was to look after their skaters at the Games; that's what they did -- for Jamie and David AND Emanuel, who withdrew due to injury.

Unless people have ALL the facts (about this or ANY 'story'), I tend to think it is better to remain quiet. The Globe and Mail writer obviously didn't have all the facts -- and I imagine Chidlow sleeps very well at night.

[Susan]

Ditto Lee