2014 Sochi Winter Olympics Rigged? Why People Are Talking About Kim Yu-Na Who Won Silver
Controversy sparked after 17-year-old Adelina Sotnikova was announced gold medalist of the Figure Skating Women's free skating Program, circulating speculation point to how the results may have been fixed.
By Melody Oei — 21 Feb 2014, 04:41 PM — Updated over 10 years ago
South Korea's Kim Yu-Na Won Silver At The Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics In The Figure Skating Women's Free Skating Program
South Korean's Kim Yu-Na performs during the women's short program on day two of the 68th South Korean national figure skating championships in Goyang on January 4, 2014.
Image via espncdn.com
23-Year-Old Kim Yu-Na Lost The Gold Medal To 17-Year-Old Russian Teenager Adelina Sotnikova
Controversy in Sochi as South Korean superstar Kim Yu Na is denied ice skating gold by 17-year-old Russian Adelina Sotnikova.
Image via telegraph.co.ukIn the final chapter of her storied Olympic figure skating career, South Korea's Kim Yu-Na won silver -- not able to defend her gold against a Russian teenager who seemingly came out of nowhere to get the top prize.
cnn.comSotnikova, The First Female Russian Skater To Win In The Category, Finished With A Total Score Of 224.59
She Beat Kim's Score Of 219.11 By 5.48 Points After The Free Skate Program
Kim Yu-na performs her free-skate program at South Korea's national championships in Goyang on Sunday, 16 Feb 2014.
Image via amazonaws.comControversy Sparked And Many Raised Questions About The Anonymous Judging System
Some pointed out that she had stepped out after landing a triple combination and others raised questions about the anonymous judging system.
cnn.comAccording To Reports, 1 Of The 9 Judges Was Suspended For A Year For Trying To Fix An Event At The Winter Olympics 16 Years Ago
One of the nine judges who picked a young Russian skater over two more refined competitors for the Olympic gold medal Thursday night was suspended for a year for trying to fix an event at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano.
usatoday.com
It didn't help that one of the judges had in the past been suspended for a year for trying to fix an event at the Winter Olympics 16 years ago. Or that another is married to the head of the Russian figure skating federation.
cnn.comAnother Judge Is The Wife Of The Former President And Current General Director Of The Russian Figure Skating Federation
And another is the wife of the former president and current general director of the Russian figure skating federation. Another Olympics, another huge skating controversy involving the countries of the former Soviet Union.
usatoday.com
Four-Time World Champion Kurt Browning Said He Was Shocked About Sotnikova's Win, "What, Suddenly, She Just Became A Better Skater Overnight?"
"“I don’t know, guys,” Browning said, just a few minutes after being oh-so-sure that Kim Yu-na was the winner of the women’s figure skating competition at the Sochi Olympics, and that she easily had beaten Russia’s Adelina Sotnikov."
nytimes.com
“I just couldn’t see how Yu-na and Sotnikova were so close in the components,” he said. “I was shocked. What, suddenly, she just became a better skater overnight? I don’t know what happened. I’m still trying to figure it out.”
nytimes.com
Ashley Wagner Of The United States, Who Finished In 7th, Said Of The Judging System, "I'm Speechless, This Sport Needs To Be Held Accountable If It Wants More People To Believe In It"
Ashley Wagner of the United States competes in the Figure Skating Team Ladies Short Program during day one of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics at Iceberg Skating Palace on February 8, 2014 in Sochi, Russia.
Image via zimbio.comAshley Wagner of the United States finished seventh. She said she believed the poor judging tainted the final outcome. In the long program Thursday, she was ranked behind fifth-place Yulia Lipnitskaya, the 15-year-old Russian who was a favorite to win the gold until she stumbled in her short program.
nytimes.com
In her long program, Lipnitskaya fell on one of her triple jumps. Wagner stayed on her feet, and later blamed the judges for their irregular, inexplicable scoring.
nytimes.com
A Twitter User Pointed Out That "One Judge Gave Yu-Na A 0 On Her Nicely Landed 3F"
The complete 2014 Sochi Olympics JUDGES DETAILS PER SKATER and scoring, dated Wednesday 19 February 2014, for figure skating, ladies in the short program.
isuresults.comIn An Opposing Opinion, A USA Today Sports Reporter Said "Skating Is Primarily A Numbers Game, And Sotnikova Played It Better"
Adelina Sotnikova of Russia reacts to her score in the ladies free skate program.
Image via gannett-cdn.com
Adelina Sotnikova of Russia competes in the women's free skate figure program at the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics.
Image via hdnux.com
Adelina Sotnikova of Russia performs in the ladies free skate program. Sotnikova won gold in an upset over Yuna Kim of Korea.
Image via gannett-cdn.com"Add that all up, and it was the difference between silver (a 69.69 technical score for Kim) and gold (75.54 for Sotnikova)."
usatoday.com
"And while Kim did a triple lutz-triple toe combo and Kostner did double axel-triple toe, Sotnikova did both. She also got the maximum level 4s for her three spins and a footwork sequence, while Kim got a Level 3 for one spin and the footwork"
usatoday.com
"Her program was more technically difficult than that of either Kim or bronze medalist Carolina Kostner, her jumps carrying her to the top spot on the podium. Sotnikova did seven triple jumps, four in combination. Kim did six, three in combination."
usatoday.com
Sotnikova, "I Knew I Would Be On The Podium But I Didn't Know Which Medal I Would Win"
The Iceberg Skating Palace erupted when the final results were shown and the videoboard cut backstage, where Sotnikova sprinted down a hallway with her arms raised. When she finally found her coaches, she flew into their arms.
usatoday.com
Adelina Sotnikova, "When I saw the scores and realized I won in terms of the technical components, really, I didn't believe my eyes."
usatoday.com
Prior To The 2014 Sochi Olympics, Various Sports Media Predicted That Kim Yu-Na Would Take Home Gold In Women's Figure Skating
Kim Yu-Na, Who Prior To The 2014 Sochi Olympics Already Had Plans To Retire, Has Reportedly Confirmed Her Retirement
NBCOlympics.com writer Nicholas McCarvel tweets word that Yuna Kim, whose bid to win a second consecutive Olympic gold was narrowly denied today by Russia’s Adelina Sotnikova, has confirmed that she will retire after these Sochi Games at the age of 23.
Image via imgur.comNBCOlympics.com writer Nicholas McCarvel tweets word that Yuna Kim, whose bid to win a second consecutive Olympic gold was narrowly denied today by Russia’s Adelina Sotnikova, has confirmed that she will retire after these Sochi Games at the age of 23.
Kim Yu-Na Figure Skating Ladies Free Skating 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, VIDEO:
More Of Kim Yu-Na In PHOTOS:
Since winning Gold at the 2010 Olympics, Kim has become an icon in Korea, appearing on hundreds of endorsements and inspiring a new generation of young skaters. She has since become the face of Korea and helped to win the bid for the 2018 Olympics in Pyeongchang for her country.
christiantoday.com
Known as "Queen Yuna" to her legions of fans, Kim's victory in Vancouver made her the first Korean figure skater to win a gold medal.
cnn.com
Yu-Na Kim of Korea waves to supporters after the free skate at the NRW trophy at Eissportzentrum in Dortmund.
Image via cbc.ca