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What's next? Pelletier considers quitting skating after controversyPosted: Tuesday February 12, 2002 12:37 PMUpdated: Wednesday February 13, 2002 2:16 PM
"It is getting to an end," Pelletier told French-Canadian reporters as Salt Lake City awoke on Tuesday to the first big row of the Winter Games. Tuesday morning's edition of U.S. newspapers splashed the story of Pelletier and Sale's defeat on their front pages. Atlanta-based CNN reported that the nine judges would have to justify their decision to top Olympic officials later on Tuesday. "After a night like tonight, you badly want to cut your figure skating career short," the Canadian figure skater said. The Canadian duo --the reigning world champions -- were edged out by Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze on Monday as Russia maintained their grip on the discipline which dates back 11 Olympics. But the judges' marking was greeted with boos and whistles, most of the crowd at the Olympic Ice Centre believing the Canadians' romantic free skate, performed to music from Love Story, should have landed them on top of the podium. The outcome also sparked anger from the Canadian silver medallists, their choreographer Lori Nichol describing the result as an "embarrassment" for figure skating. The judges from Russia, China, France, Poland and Ukraine voted for the Russian pair, while the U.S., Canada, Germany and Japan sided with the Canadians. Pelletier, though, said he would delay a final decision, adding: "It is not the time to take a decision. I will sleep over that but it is clear that [Monday night's results] will be taken into account when it will be time for a decision." Pelletier was set to hold a news conference at Canada's Olympic Lodge in Salt Lake City at 4 p.m. EST on Tuesday.
Copyright 2003 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. |
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