Russian Olympic Committee Alleges Prejudice in Women's Acrobatic Freestyle

The Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) appealed to the International Ski Federation (FIS) alleging misjudging in the Women's Acrobatic Freestyle Finals. The letter, signed by Leonid Tyagachev, has already been directed to the FIS. Last night President of the Russian Freestyle Federation Lev Kofman accused judges John Baler from Canada and David Farrar from the US in deliberately lowering the marks of a Russian freestyler Olga Koroleva. She was the leader after the first attempt, but ended fourth 'thanks to' the North American judges who placed her after Alice Camplin from Australia, Veronique Brenner and Deidra Dionn, both from Canada. Mr. Tyagachev intends to defend Russia's interests in the face of the bureaucracy coming form the FIS and the International Olympic Committee, the successful protest outcome being still fresh in the memory. Several days ago Canadian pair Jamie Sale and David Pelletier were awarded a second set of golden medals as a result of their protest. The precedent having been created, the ROC intends to use it.