(16 Feb 2002)

1. Russian Olympic team officials posing with Olympic pairs champions and cross country skier Olga Danilova (right with flowers)
2. Photographers
3. Pairs skaters Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze
4. Russian skater Alexei Yagudin receiving national award
5. Pairs team watching award ceremony
6. Russian skater Yvgeny Plashenko receiving medal
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Anton Sikharulidze, Russian pairs skater
"I said 'wow' - it's never happened before. And I was shocked a little bit because it's unusual, but I think it's the best way to close all bad talkings (rumours) cause we haven't done anything bad and we are great and we are Olympic champions also and we just want to enjoy being here in the United States and to be here in Salt Lake City."
8. Photographers
9. Sikharulidze speaking to reporters
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Anton Sikharulidze, Russian skater
"I hope so, because it's not our mistake, we haven't done anything bad, we just try to skate for the audience and for people. They are too and they are great skaters too and I think now it's the best thing and the Olympic Committee made the right decision."
11. Reporter
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Anton Sikharulidze, Russian skater
(Reporter: Are you relieved it's over?)
"I hope it's over because it's so difficult, I think not just for us, and for them in this situation. And I think now it's the best way because it's two great pairs and they can be Olympic champions and we can be Olympic champions and now we are both Olympic champions and I think it's great for all fans of figure skating."
13. Danilova receiving award
14. Pairs skaters

STORYLINE:

The Olympic judging scandal is all about the French now.

Canadian figure skaters David Pelletier and Jamie Sale have their own gold medal and the Russians, Anton Sikharulidze and Elena Berezhnaya, are keeping the ones they won Monday night.

But French judge Marie-Reine Le Gougne has been suspended indefinitely after officials said she admitted she was put under pressure before the event.

She claimed the pressure came from Didier Gailhaguet, the president of her country's skating federation.

The controversy has generated headlines worldwide, particularly in Russia, Canada and the United States.

In the Russian Olympic camp, the decision to award the Canadians a gold medal has been welcomed.

The Russian pair told reporters they were happy to share the gold and said they just wanted to enjoy the Olympics and their stay in Salt Lake City.

The controversy began when Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze were awarded a 5-4 decision over the Canadians at Monday night's free-skate programme, surprising many observers.

Sale and Pelletier skated flawlessly while the Russians made a few technical errors.

The victory allowed the Russians to extend their streak of winning gold in the pairs in every Olympics since 1964.

The controversy renewed complaints over the subjectivity of judging and brought to mind the Cold War era, when many competitors suspected that medals were sometimes awarded on the basis of politics.

Duplicate medals have been awarded four times.

The latest was in 1993, when the committee gave a second gold medal in synchronised swimming from the Barcelona Games to Canada's Sylvie Frechette.

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