With the Winter Olympics its always seems to be Short Speed Skating & Figure Skating (Ice Dancing) where the controversies occur.
Another Winter Olympics, and they have certainly not less us down on that front.
My goodness it takes something to make some of the baffling decisions made in F1 & Football seem sensible, but these sports along with Olympics Boxing take the biscuit.
To be honest at Sochi anything that requires judges to mark or where referee decisions are often required has been poor. I've watched bits on various English language stations and the commentators have all been left confused.
A shame for her, but I do wish people would drop the "it's not fair" and accusing the judges of being cheats.
Its not far from them being cheats however as there's no consistency. Look at Elise's DSQ in the 500m. Fontana leaned on her and Elise was kicked out but then today in the 1000m Fontana did the same on a Chinese skater, who seemed to be more at fault that Elise as she pushed back with her hand yet Fontana was DSQ. Its just not consistent.
And Elise was kicked out the 1500m for going outside the track but the Chinese one failed to make not only the corner when she took Elise out but the corner before (On both atleast one of her skates was inside the marker which she took one out on both corners)
It just seems if your face fits with the refs they will be lenient with you but if your face doesn't they will be very harsh rather than the refs judging it impartially using just a consistent set of rules and guidelines that don't take I to account who the competitors are
Whatever the reason for the DQ, the poor lassie must be heartbroke.
This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Its a cold heart that does not feel for her. You know you are faster, you have been penalised, penalised, then picked yourself up a third time to believe that OK..this time ....
only to be Effed over again...
It would break the spirit of a Saint and the most Positive of people.
I hope she will recover but those Demons are going to stick until next slight setback and the downward spiral will start again.....
She needs HUGE support from Team GB and the British public to reward her for being such a gutsy competitor who we all belived could win..
She needs more praise than any GB Gold medalist ...
I'm not much of a fan of the short track. Bar Victor An, every race in the men's 500 seem to be decided by the first bend of the first lap.
The crashes they make the rules up as they go along. There were about 100 pushes in today's races more forceful than Christies that were ignored, there was the exact same incident in a race before and the skater taken out was reinstated.
I didn't think Christie was too harshly treated in the first event, but if she was the cause for that, then a near identical incident in reverse and she is deemed equally at fault.
No explanation or right of appeal is ludicrous. At least if they reinstated the Chinese skater, they have at least made a decision. I don't see how neither can be at fault. It looked a clear cut decision.
Having been disqualified twice before, the judges will have been under scrutiny to make sure she didn't offend again. With the small minded officials at the Olympics, this would have meant they would have been looking for the slightest hint of what might be deemed an infringement by her and totally ignoring the rest in the race.
The classic was in the cycling in 2012, when Mears barged Pendleton quite legally on the run in, but the action upset Pendleton's line and she marginally strayed into Mear's lane, which did not impede her at all, but some jobsworth decided to disqualify her.
At either games, the sports I least enjoy are those where the results are decided solely by judges, whether it be gymnastics, diving, ice skating. Speed skating is almost to that extent as the involvement of the judges and official is so common there is barely a race without their need for some adjudication.
They deserve their place and there isnt really any other way to grade someone on some rings, but the whole concept leaves itself so open to flaws, even with perfectly innocent and correct decisions.
So why hasn't the Chinese girl been disqualified for trying to take someone down on the finishing line in the final then ? How can it be fair that Elise get's disqualified but not the other person ?
So why hasn't the Chinese girl been disqualified for trying to take someone down on the finishing line in the final then ? How can it be fair that Elise get's disqualified but not the other person ?
Depends on what the judges decide not what the facts really are >:(
I know this is a silly thing to say near the end of such a great games but, right at this moment, it feels like the whole thing has been tarnished. Unbelievable.
I'll get over it, of course - I just hope poor Elise does.
Why ? Perhaps the word "cheats" is pushing things a bit too fat. But they certainly appear biased or prejudiced given the number of questionable judgements involving the same competitor. Imagine a footballer getting three red cards in three successive matches, all of them doubtful.
Then isn't it purely down to opinion ? You say ALL 3 are doubtful. To me the first two are blatent DQ, so does that make me a cheat or biased ? No, it means my opinion differs. I think there are a few pairs of Red, White and Blue tinted specs worn on here.
I'm not much of a fan of the short track. Bar Victor An, every race in the men's 500 seem to be decided by the first bend of the first lap.
The crashes they make the rules up as they go along. There were about 100 pushes in today's races more forceful than Christies that were ignored, there was the exact same incident in a race before and the skater taken out was reinstated.
I didn't think Christie was too harshly treated in the first event, but if she was the cause for that, then a near identical incident in reverse and she is deemed equally at fault.
No explanation or right of appeal is ludicrous. At least if they reinstated the Chinese skater, they have at least made a decision. I don't see how neither can be at fault. It looked a clear cut decision.
See I thought even the first Disqualification was harsh. I can understand a penalty if you physically push or trip someone and they fall but she made the move inside fine and then Fortana decided to battle for the spot by leaning on here in a shoulder to shoulder battle. Personally I don't think either did anything wrong you should expect some fair contact in any sport like that but the person doing the leaning seems to me to me to be more at fault. Either fair with the shoulders/body should be allowed or they should be running them in lanes so there can't be any contact.
And the strange thing is as I said Fontana was kicked out for leaning in the 1000m just as she did to Christie when she seemed less at fault as the Chinese women was pushing her.
A shame for her, but I do wish people would drop the "it's not fair" and accusing the judges of being cheats.
Why ? Perhaps the word "cheats" is pushing things a bit too fat. But they certainly appear biased or prejudiced given the number of questionable judgements involving the same competitor. Imagine a footballer getting three red cards in three successive matches, all of them doubtful.
Hearing some of the explanation from that ex GB Olympic champ they have on the BBC covering short track, it sounds like Elise's coaching team changed tactics for the games after Elise being so strong from the front in recent competitions and thinking there'd be too much battle for the lead at the start of the races.
So maybe Elise was under experienced at the tactics involved in making your way through a slower field when you start at the back, as she's so used to leading from the front. Would explain how she was caught out a few times by appearing to break rules or cause collisions.
Hopefully she can gain more experience in the lesser tournaments and come back stronger tactically for the big ones.
I can't believe that she was disqualified for the last one when the other woman went flying into her.
What could she have possibly done to stop someone skating into her?
I feel terrible for her. I hope she has a lot of support from people because she must be distraught, especially after the earlier tweeting situation.
I hope she recovers and comes back from this. I wish her all the best.
I can't believe that she was disqualified for the last one when the other woman went flying into her.
What could she have possibly done to stop someone skating into her?
From the explanation it looks like they blame Elise for knocking the Chinese lass off line on the straight, which forced her inside the track and when she tried to come back on line to get around the corner marker where Elise was now positioned she collided with Elise.
Both DQ, though if the above is the only reason then surely the Chinese lass should have been promoted if they blame Elise for the incident. Yep, still
When the short track speed skating programme started last week I made a comment that this sport is a lottery and the circumstances that have unfolded clearly do not change my opinion. Bordering on the silly frankly.
Dislike it despite its action thrills. It benefits the small framed far eastern skaters who can slip through the inside of the competitor ahead which seems a must tactic frankly.
I got into watching short track because Apolo Anton Ohno, and now JR Celski are from my hometown and started skating at the same rink I used to go to every week.
But it is oh so nerve-racking and painful to watch. Feel bad for Elise as she clearly has the speed and then some.
I haven't watched much of this sport before, seen it once or twice but never really taken note of rules or even what it's about, to be honest. I didn't see Elise's first two races at this Olympics, so I can't form an opinion on those, but on Friday I actually sat down and watched it from start to finish and it's a pathetic sport from what I saw.
Maybe I just don't understand the rules, but since reading this thread, it's clear that many have the same opinion that it's a lottery. I don't know why anyone would spend their life working at being the best they can be at something so fickle.
I still don't understand what Elise did wrong. One of the people Clare Balding spoke to said it might possibly be because she changed lanes which is against the rules, yet he went onto say the Russian guy who won is brilliant at doing exactly that
It's definitely a sport I won't be taking any notice of in the future - it's a load of nonsense. Of course, had this not happened to someone representing Great Britain, I probably wouldn't have taken any notice of the flaws, but since it did, it made me sit up and think about the sport... and the more I think about it the more ridiculous it all seems.
I think Elise had a point when she said the referee should be the same one throughout the year - it would bring some consistency to it, at least.
1st 2 DQ's were understandable, especially the 2nd, which was backed up by evidence of her crossing on the inside of the finish line by cm's. The 3rd is questionable at best, and because of this lottery in a lot of the races, I probably won't be too keen to watch the sport when it's on TV next.
It does look like Elise has the ability to be on the podium on practically every event she competes in though, which can only be good for Speed Skating in the UK. It's a pity, what could have turned into a Golden Games for her has ended as a nightmare. She'll be back though I'm sure.
1st 2 DQ's were understandable, especially the 2nd, which was backed up by evidence of her crossing on the inside of the finish line by cm's. The 3rd is questionable at best, and because of this lottery in a lot of the races, I probably won't be too keen to watch the sport when it's on TV next.
It does look like Elise has the ability to be on the podium on practically every event she competes in though, which can only be good for Speed Skating in the UK. It's a pity, what could have turned into a Golden Games for her has ended as a nightmare. She'll be back though I'm sure.
Well I'd hope so.
But can you imagine putting all that work in for four years and then this happening?
It's hard for me to imagine myself having the motivation to go through another four years of training for the same thing to potentially happen again in four years time.
It would feel like four years wasted and being thrown into a bin.
Well, Elise has the Short Track Speed Skating World Championships in a few weeks time to focus on now. March 14th to 16th in Montreal, Canada.
As she said in her interview after the last DQ, the frustration is that she's beaten all those in the final, so to come away as world champ in a few weeks would be a nice boost, she seems to talk with such a lack of confidence.
When I watched the race in real time I thought Christie was hard done by. The replays however clearly showed she had previously pushed the Chinese skater to the inside with her arm and then lent into her to try and prevent her coming back - all quite deliberate. From that point on a collision was inevitable, either by the Chinese skater trying to return, as she did, and taking Christie out, or remaining in the infield and T boning the skaters ahead of Christie as, at 30 mph, it would not have been possible to stop. The judges were absolutely right to disqualify Christie. If anything, it's the Chinese skater who should feel hard done by.
I also thought Christie might rue her triumphant air punch when winning her 1000m QF heat, and so it transpired. That sort of thing should be left for the final. Various reports also seem to suggest she isn't very popular amongst her competitors, and comment such as wanting to get in her opponents' faces certainly don't help.
Let's be honest, Christie's performance at these Olympics was abysmal.
Comments
To be honest at Sochi anything that requires judges to mark or where referee decisions are often required has been poor. I've watched bits on various English language stations and the commentators have all been left confused.
Its not far from them being cheats however as there's no consistency. Look at Elise's DSQ in the 500m. Fontana leaned on her and Elise was kicked out but then today in the 1000m Fontana did the same on a Chinese skater, who seemed to be more at fault that Elise as she pushed back with her hand yet Fontana was DSQ. Its just not consistent.
And Elise was kicked out the 1500m for going outside the track but the Chinese one failed to make not only the corner when she took Elise out but the corner before (On both atleast one of her skates was inside the marker which she took one out on both corners)
It just seems if your face fits with the refs they will be lenient with you but if your face doesn't they will be very harsh rather than the refs judging it impartially using just a consistent set of rules and guidelines that don't take I to account who the competitors are
This ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Its a cold heart that does not feel for her. You know you are faster, you have been penalised, penalised, then picked yourself up a third time to believe that OK..this time ....
only to be Effed over again...
It would break the spirit of a Saint and the most Positive of people.
I hope she will recover but those Demons are going to stick until next slight setback and the downward spiral will start again.....
She needs HUGE support from Team GB and the British public to reward her for being such a gutsy competitor who we all belived could win..
She needs more praise than any GB Gold medalist ...
The crashes they make the rules up as they go along. There were about 100 pushes in today's races more forceful than Christies that were ignored, there was the exact same incident in a race before and the skater taken out was reinstated.
I didn't think Christie was too harshly treated in the first event, but if she was the cause for that, then a near identical incident in reverse and she is deemed equally at fault.
No explanation or right of appeal is ludicrous. At least if they reinstated the Chinese skater, they have at least made a decision. I don't see how neither can be at fault. It looked a clear cut decision.
The classic was in the cycling in 2012, when Mears barged Pendleton quite legally on the run in, but the action upset Pendleton's line and she marginally strayed into Mear's lane, which did not impede her at all, but some jobsworth decided to disqualify her.
They deserve their place and there isnt really any other way to grade someone on some rings, but the whole concept leaves itself so open to flaws, even with perfectly innocent and correct decisions.
Was it a Chinese referee?
Depends on what the judges decide not what the facts really are >:(
Lots of ♥♥♥ to Elise
No better way to recover than to beat the medallists as soon as possible. She's got the form, just needs the luck.
Then isn't it purely down to opinion ? You say ALL 3 are doubtful. To me the first two are blatent DQ, so does that make me a cheat or biased ? No, it means my opinion differs. I think there are a few pairs of Red, White and Blue tinted specs worn on here.
See I thought even the first Disqualification was harsh. I can understand a penalty if you physically push or trip someone and they fall but she made the move inside fine and then Fortana decided to battle for the spot by leaning on here in a shoulder to shoulder battle. Personally I don't think either did anything wrong you should expect some fair contact in any sport like that but the person doing the leaning seems to me to me to be more at fault. Either fair with the shoulders/body should be allowed or they should be running them in lanes so there can't be any contact.
And the strange thing is as I said Fontana was kicked out for leaning in the 1000m just as she did to Christie when she seemed less at fault as the Chinese women was pushing her.
Hmm. I'm torn. I'd love to see Chemmy carry it. She's overcome so much just to compete there.
Why ? Perhaps the word "cheats" is pushing things a bit too fat. But they certainly appear biased or prejudiced given the number of questionable judgements involving the same competitor. Imagine a footballer getting three red cards in three successive matches, all of them doubtful.
So maybe Elise was under experienced at the tactics involved in making your way through a slower field when you start at the back, as she's so used to leading from the front. Would explain how she was caught out a few times by appearing to break rules or cause collisions.
Hopefully she can gain more experience in the lesser tournaments and come back stronger tactically for the big ones.
What could she have possibly done to stop someone skating into her?
I feel terrible for her. I hope she has a lot of support from people because she must be distraught, especially after the earlier tweeting situation.
I hope she recovers and comes back from this. I wish her all the best.
From the explanation it looks like they blame Elise for knocking the Chinese lass off line on the straight, which forced her inside the track and when she tried to come back on line to get around the corner marker where Elise was now positioned she collided with Elise.
Both DQ, though if the above is the only reason then surely the Chinese lass should have been promoted if they blame Elise for the incident. Yep, still
Dislike it despite its action thrills. It benefits the small framed far eastern skaters who can slip through the inside of the competitor ahead which seems a must tactic frankly.
But it is oh so nerve-racking and painful to watch. Feel bad for Elise as she clearly has the speed and then some.
Trying to get through on the inside is risky.
Maybe I just don't understand the rules, but since reading this thread, it's clear that many have the same opinion that it's a lottery. I don't know why anyone would spend their life working at being the best they can be at something so fickle.
I still don't understand what Elise did wrong. One of the people Clare Balding spoke to said it might possibly be because she changed lanes which is against the rules, yet he went onto say the Russian guy who won is brilliant at doing exactly that
It's definitely a sport I won't be taking any notice of in the future - it's a load of nonsense. Of course, had this not happened to someone representing Great Britain, I probably wouldn't have taken any notice of the flaws, but since it did, it made me sit up and think about the sport... and the more I think about it the more ridiculous it all seems.
I think Elise had a point when she said the referee should be the same one throughout the year - it would bring some consistency to it, at least.
It does look like Elise has the ability to be on the podium on practically every event she competes in though, which can only be good for Speed Skating in the UK. It's a pity, what could have turned into a Golden Games for her has ended as a nightmare. She'll be back though I'm sure.
Well I'd hope so.
But can you imagine putting all that work in for four years and then this happening?
It's hard for me to imagine myself having the motivation to go through another four years of training for the same thing to potentially happen again in four years time.
It would feel like four years wasted and being thrown into a bin.
As she said in her interview after the last DQ, the frustration is that she's beaten all those in the final, so to come away as world champ in a few weeks would be a nice boost, she seems to talk with such a lack of confidence.
I also thought Christie might rue her triumphant air punch when winning her 1000m QF heat, and so it transpired. That sort of thing should be left for the final. Various reports also seem to suggest she isn't very popular amongst her competitors, and comment such as wanting to get in her opponents' faces certainly don't help.
Let's be honest, Christie's performance at these Olympics was abysmal.