Figure Skating Thread (Olympic Spoilers/Discussion starting at post #16)

[onodian]

Oke so their job is to destroy minor athletes without any concideration about the person

I’m sorry but how is reporting on her failed test a destruction on the part of the press. This is, if anything, on whoever gave that to her. I agree us coverage is sometimes heavy- handed on the “us-centric” view, I’ll say for lack of a better word, but kamila’s tragedy is absolutely not on the press’s shoulders

 

[MaryClare]

So “the press” should be able to behave however they please, towards minors? That’s hardly the mark of a civilised society.

 

[onodian]

The ioc decided they had to reveal the name. I sincerely don’t know what you’re advocating for, that they would have kept this a “secret”? (if I’m not mistaken she was the only minor medaling in team, so it would have probably only fuelled more speculation)

 

[Doug1233]

What are you suggesting the press do, following the IOC’s public release of her name?

 

[MaryClare]

The press can report on events without hounding a child. Todays scenes were extremely unpleasant

 

[ucrgirl]

The ROC lifting her suspension directly led to the press hounding her. The coaches leaving her to go through the mixed zone on her own led to the press hounding her. (Other coaches talked to the press in the mixed zone.)

The Russian federation handled the drug test in such a way as to make her life miserable. And that is very sad. Typically the athlete sits out of competition while trying to clear their name. Ask Jessica Calalang a US skater who missed the last World Championship while trying to clear her name.

Fixed egregious typos.

 

[KristyJ]

The commentators on NBC were plenty fair. They explained the situation, expressed sympathy, noted that they felt that unfortunately age shouldn’t be a reason to look past a positive test. They provided light commentary on the skate but enough to follow it. They were mostly quiet during the awful follow up when the cameras (I believe via the default coverage, not the commentators fault) were following the skaters when frankly they should have left them alone. Johnny translated one or two things from Russian but chose not to for much of it. Everyone expressed feeling really bad for those involved and said they didn’t know how to feel about the awful situation. I may not always agree with NBC commentators but I think they handled it as well as they could have given the situation.

 

[onodian]

After this week, i think one of the only positive notes to FS to me is this:

https://skatingscores.com/2122/oly/sr/women/long/

The level of detail is .

@Doug1233 come’ere and touch yourself to these endless arrays of numbers and downgrades

 

[onodian]

I mean what I’d say to the nbc commentators is, there was a decision made. And it’s not like that decision was taken by Russian officials. So, from that moment on, maybe wait to see, cause they might have some arguments to make that decision. They had really decided this is wrong and that’s that, and i just think someone had 6 hours of hearing in front of a panel of people and a decision came out of that and for the time being I’ll have to take that… that was the vibe of the uk and German commentators. I found it a little more humane to valieva, I’ll say. Like i said upthread the German commentator was incredibly pissed with her entourage towards the end of the fs for putting her in this situation, for example.

 

[Angelika]

I’ve just watched a video of Valieva and Trusova which is heartbreaking - a volunteer is consoling a sobbing Valieva and Trusova is having a meltdown screaming ‘I’m never going on the ice again’.

 

[KristyJ]

Oh, they noted very much that it was Kamila’s entourage failing her. I don’t think anyone blamed Kamila at all, rather expressed sympathy.

Looking at the breakdown of scores, the PCS is really just useless again. They managed to place in the right spots for the free skate (I have opinions about overall), but Trusova having better or even comparable PCS to Hendrixx? Really, judges? And that’s just a more prominent example. At least the Dutch judge tried to call that more correctly. I know they are afraid of getting too far out of line with other judges because that will get them a harsh looking at.

While I think it should absolutely be possible to judge GOE and all the PCS in one go, I’m beginning to think that maybe each PCS should have different judges assigned to it so that they can’t just score them all the same.

 

[Indy]

That video is heartbreaking. At least that volunteer was there for Valieva, some adult needed to hug that child. Regardless of what she did or didn’t know about the doping situation, whether she should or should not have been allowed to skate she’s a freaking 15 year old girl who has been under a microscope for days and then left to fend for herself sobbing. The second she came off the ice Eteri was snapping at her, like that’s going to help anything at all. Poor, poor girl.
Even Trusova’s meltdown was heartbreaking to watch. It’s an inordinate amount of pressure on a teenage girl’s shoulders, even without the doping drama.

 

[Doug1233]

love it!

Laughing at AZE judge ranking Trusova #1 for PCS…!

 

[Doug1233]

each PCS should have different judges assigned to it so that they can’t just score them all the same

100%. Just as the E Panel shouldn’t also judge Artistry in WAG.

 

[Doug1233]

Trusova is having a meltdown screaming ‘I’m never going on the ice again’.

Didn’t she also scream “you knew!!!” to Eteri?

 

[arabiandoublefront]

2014 wasn’t pre-Eteri. She coached Yulia Lipnitskaya, who nailed it in the team event but melted down in the individual event (not unlike Kamila).

 

[Doug1233]

The press can report on events without hounding a child. Todays scenes were extremely unpleasant

Perhaps you should blame the coaches and not the press, for putting her alone in that situation. She is, after all, a child in their care.

 

[KristyJ]

Yep, she did… and she’s probably not wrong

As for the other comment re: splitting up D and E panels in gymnastics, I don’t think it should be necessary. I but I suppose the question remains as to whether or not judges will do what they can, or just take the easy way. Some will. But clearly some will not, so I see your point.

 

[ucrgirl]

Any ideas on what she is accusing them of knowing? I’m sure Eteri knew about the PEDs (and I don’t think Kamila is the only Eteri athlete to have taken them). Does she think Eteri knew that Anna would win?

 

[Doug1233]

The difference in Trusova’s PCS between the RUS AZE and NED judges is absolutely insane.

How?