First the Canadian Olympic Association asks for an independent study, then Skate Canada is appealing the decision, now the International Olympic Committee is getting into the act.
IOC President Jacques Rogge sent a letter to ISU President Ottavio Cinquanta but it didn’t set a deadline for settling the dispute that occurred when Canadian figure skating pairs Jamie Sale and David Pelletier won the silver rather than the gold medal during the pairs competition.
In the letter Rogge said, “while the IOC trusts the ISU will take all appropriate decisions, we would like to emphasize the high urgency of the matter and the need to take adequate action as quickly as possible”. The ISU president has said the organization was going to address the matter at it’s meeting scheduled for Feb. 18.
And reports say if the ISU fails to resolve the problem quickly, the IOC left open the possibility it would settle the dispute itself.
IOC Director General Francois Carrard said, “it’s our Games, too. We are concerned for the athletes. It is our concern that this be settled expeditiously”.
In a press release the IOC noted that the ISU “has the right and responsibility to establish the final results and ranking of Olympic competitors”, a clear sign that there could be pressure exerted to improve Sale and Pelletier’s silver medal standing, reports The Toronto Star.
Carrard did not say what the IOC would do if no action was taken by the ISU, which is supposed to be independent of the IOC.
He said, “we’re urging quick action because it is our experience when you have any kind of controversy, you have to act fast”.
