11/05/24
February 06, 2002
Did top speedskater Apolo Ohno: deliberately lose a race at the US Olympic Trials so his friend could make the Olympic team? Almost everyone except the arbitrator seems to think so. I saw the Trials on Outdoor Life Network, and the race looked fishy. Are they letting him get away with race fixing because he's a gold medal favorite for the US?
posted by neuroshred to other at 04:42 PM - 7 comments
Did top speedskater Apolo Ohno deliberately lose a race at the US Olympic Trials so his friend could make the Olympic team? How are any of us ever gonna know? There isn't any way to confirm colusion short of a confession. If the skater don't spit, you must aquit. (kafkaesque, ROTFLMAO).
posted by Wulfgar! at 05:25 PM on February 06, 2002
According to an ESPN article which I can't seem to find(ESPN's search tool is incredibly weak), another competitor overheard an incriminating conversation between Ohno and a friend about this prior to the race. Even if it is just a case of revenge due to jealousy, the IOC should investigate.
posted by ttrendel at 12:45 AM on February 07, 2002
This isn't a matter for the IOC. It's a matter for the USOC.
posted by salmacis at 02:36 AM on February 07, 2002
Bleh....it is indeed purely a USOC matter as salmacis said.
posted by ttrendel at 02:56 AM on February 07, 2002
Ohno had already made the team, and was worried about injuring himself. He said the only reason he even showed up was that he'd be disquilified if he didn't.
posted by mick at 11:41 PM on February 08, 2002
If he were just skating to avoid disqualification, he would have lurked behind the other skaters to stay out of traffic. He didn't. He was in the pack, pretending to compete, and he began cheering for his friend even before the race ended. Keep in mind, at the time Ohno had a winning streak of something like 16 races. He could have won it on a whim. I don't know whether he should be disqualified, but I'm not rooting for him. Maybe he should have to give his gold medal prize money to the guy who didn't make the team.
posted by neuroshred at 09:40 AM on February 11, 2002
What really bugged me was when he let Strahan sack him during the final lap.