A Chinese language determine skating choose will serve on a panel on the upcoming Winter Olympic Video games in Beijing regardless of being beforehand suspended for "apparent and systematic bias" on the 2018 Pyeongchang Winter Video games in South Korea.
Huang Feng is listed as a technical controller for the worldwide competitors, which begins this upcoming Friday. On this function, Huang will function "an official who supervises technical specialists and might suggest corrections relating to the extent of issue recognized for a given aspect," in line with Reuters.
Huang had beforehand obtained a one-year suspension from the game in 2018 from the Worldwide Skating Union (ISU). The ISU's disciplinary board had discovered that Huang had demonstrated a major bias towards Chinese language rivals throughout that yr's Olympic festivities.
"The seriousness of his misconduct is aggravated by the truth that it was dedicated on the Olympic Winter Video games, the doubtlessly most essential and prestigious competitors that exists in determine skating," the ISU had stated in a press launch.
The board discovered that Huang's bias towards Chinese language rivals, significantly in pairs occasions, had began even earlier than his actions on the 2018 video games.
Previous to the opening ceremonies in Pyeongchang, the ISU despatched Huang a warning letter relating to his judging on the 2017 ISU Grand Prix Ultimate. Within the letter, a replica of which was obtained by Reuters, the ISU informed Huang that he had proven "clear assist for the 2 Chinese language pairs with none goal causes both in parts and in parts."
"This has been evaluated as nationwide bias," the letter continued.
Within the lead-up to the 2022 Beijing Video games, the ISU made a number of makes an attempt to have Huang banned from judging. Nonetheless, Huang himself has requested for the bias costs in opposition to him to be dismissed.
Some rivals expressed their settlement with the ISU that Huang was biased towards Chinese language athletes. Many additionally raised issues concerning the equity of the competitors if he could be allowed to evaluate in 2022.
"You shouldn't be allowed to be suspended, and your reward is working the following Olympics," retired Canadian pairs skater Meagan Duhamel informed Reuters. "We as a sport have been making an attempt to clear these folks out, not welcome them again in."
Duhamel, who hung up her skates after Pyeongchang, acknowledged that Huang's bias had been apparent as a result of his considerably skewed scores in comparison with the opposite judges. Duhamel and her skating accomplice, Eric Radford, ultimately gained a bronze medal on the 2018 Video games.
"I dream that in the future judges will symbolize the ISU and never their nations," stated Duhamel's coach, Bruno Marcotte. "However I do not assume that may occur any time quickly."
Aggressive determine skating, significantly on a global degree, has been rocked by plenty of scandals all through its historical past.
Throughout the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake Metropolis, allegations that the pairs' competitions had been mounted resulted in two groups profitable gold medals. Following this scandal, the ISU made vital alterations to the scoring system utilized by the judges.
Maybe essentially the most well-known incident, although, concerned American determine skater Tonya Harding. In 1994, Harding's ex-husband attacked fellow determine skater Nancy Kerrigan in an try to knock her out of each the upcoming U.S. Championships and Olympic Video games.
Harding initially claimed that she had no information of the assault, however ultimately reached a plea deal after the FBI discovered proof of her involvement. She was ultimately banned from all U.S. determine skating occasions.
Newsweek reached out to the ISU for remark.
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