Word: gailhaguet
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...allegations go, pressure from outside sources was the reason "skate gate" judge Le Gougne voted for Russian pairs team Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze over the cleaner-skating Canadian pair Jamie Sale and David Pelletier Monday night. Didier Gailhaguet, head of the French Olympic committee, told a reporter that Le Gougne had been pressured to cast her vote a certain...
...Gailhaguet later said that he had been misinterpreted, that while Le Gougne had been approached by "certain people who had an interest to see their couple win," that did not affect her vote. Still, it's hard to explain the judge's ruling. Replays showed that Sikharulidze clearly botched a jump, and when the marks were flashed the crowd booed loudly - and continued to boo as the Russians were awarded their medal. "Some people close to the judge have acted badly and have put someone who is honest and upright, but emotionally fragile, under pressure," Gailhaguet said Wednesday...
...Friday, the Olympic powers-that-be came through with some damage control. The International Skating Union announced it was suspending Le Gougne, Gailhaguet promised to get to the bottom of it all and Canada got what it wanted most - an additional gold medal awarded to Sale and Pelletier...