Sunday night on NBC, the International Olympic Committee presented Canadians Jamie Sale and David Pelletier with their gold medals in pairs figure skating.
In the interests of fairness, instead of stripping the gold medals awarded to the Russian team of Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze, the Canadians were presented with two more gold medals. While fair to all competitors involved, this action trivializes the receipt of a gold medal.
The gold is for the best - the elite. In this competition, the two best amateur skaters in the world are awarded. Here, because of judging flaws, there are four elite skaters and no one to take the silver.
The silver medals originally awarded to the Canadians have been returned "to the coffers of the IOC," according to International Olympic Committee director general Francois Carrard.
When the deal was originally struck, Pelletier said, "Justice was done. It doesn't take anything away from Elena and Anton. This was not something against them. It was something against the system."
Indeed this was something against the system. Does this atone for the scandal that has tarnished the 2002 Olympic Winter Games? We think not.
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