(ATR) The IOC says it has faith in the scoring system used by the International Skating Union to judge figure skating competitions.
Adelina Sotnikova’s victory on Thursday over Kim Yuna raised questions about the ISU’s scoring system.
The 17-year-old Russian national champion was awarded 149.95 points in the free skate – the second-highest score ever and more than 18 points better than her season best – with three skaters to go. One judge is the wife of the head of the Russian skating federation and another had been suspended due to improprieties in the past.
IOC spokesman Mark Adams defended the system in place, saying ultimately this is an issue for the ISU to deal with. "I think we need a little bit of a reality check," he said at Friday’s joint briefing with Sochi 2014.
"The ISU has a pretty sophisticated judging system with safeguards in place. My personal view would be to congratulate what was a fantastic performance."
He added: "I think it’s clear there’s no hiding who is on the panel."
For the IOC to take any action, a formal complaint from a skater or team would have to be filed. Adams said there have been none filed. Kim said she had no complaints about the scoring.
German Doping Suspect
A German athlete is suspected of doping at the Sochi Olympics, the first case at the Games.
Germany news agency DPA named the individual as biathlete Evi Sachenbacher-Stehle, a two-time Olympic gold medallist, who finished fourth in the 12.5km mass start biathlon at the Sochi Games on Feb.17. The 33-year-old also has three silver medals to her name.
The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) confirmed the suspected positive in a statement on Friday.
But it did not name the athlete, sport or banned substance she tested positive during competition at the Sochi Olympics.
The IOC informed the DOSB on Thursday evening about an adverse outcome in the A sample of a member of the German Olympic team.
"The opening of the B sample and the hearing before the IOC Disciplinary Commission are scheduled for this Friday [today]. Thereafter, the chef de mission will report on the status of the process," the statement added.
UkraineAthletes in Competition
Ukranian skier Bogdana Matsotska withdrew from competition in Friday’s slalom event, but the women’s 4x6km biathlon relay team will still compete. Matsotska says she withdrew to show her support for the protesters in Ukraine.
Beach Volleyball in the Mountains
Rio 2016 is still two years away but the International Volleyball Federation has found a way to promote beach volleyball against the backdrop of the Sochi 2014's snow-capped mountains.
Svetlana Zhurova, mayor of the Sochi Mountain Olympic Village and 2006 Olympic champion in speed skating, took time out from her official duties on Friday to challenge some of her volunteer team to a beach volleyball match in the Gorky Gorod Mall in the shadow of the Krasnaya Polyana resort.
FIS Signs Off on Sochi
Sarah Lewis, secretary general of the International Ski Federation, saysthe federation couldn’t be happier with the Games. "We’ve only gotpositive things to say about the organization of the Games," Lewis saidon Friday.
"The competitions have more than fulfilled all our expectations. It’sbeen a lot of hard work in relatively challenging weather conditions."
Wo ist Thomas?
IOC president Thomas Bach will watch two sporting events on Friday. He started his day in the mountains at women’s ski cross and then will watch the final day of short track speedskating at the Iceberg Skating Palace.
Sochi By the Numbers
- 1,100,016 tickets sold
- More than 90,000 spectators in the Olympic Park on Thursday
- 9539 volunteers working in shifts
- 219 athletes competed in eight events
- Six medal events
Written by Ed Hula III
20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.
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