U.S. Team Loses Bronze--’We Were Cheated’: Karolyi : E. German’s Ruling Riles Americans

The U.S. women’s Olympic gymnastics team was beaten today for the bronze medal by an East German team that survived because of a penalty called by an East German official, setting off a war of words that is unlikely to end soon.

While the Soviet Union dethroned Olympic champion Romania for the gold medal, East Germany captured the bronze in a dramatic and controversy-filled battle with the American team.

“In our hearts we know we deserve the bronze,” said Phoebe Mills, 15, one of the American stars.

“We got ripped,” said Mike Jacki, executive director of the U.S. Gymnastics Federation. “We will sleep well tonight because we know we were the third-best team out there. I hope the East Germans can sleep.”

Less Than a Point

East Germany finished with 390.875 points; the United States finished with 390.575. The East German margin of victory was more than matched by a half-point penalty assessed against the Americans two nights before.

The penalty was called by Ellen Berger, an East German official who heads the gymnastics rules committee.

But that wasn’t the only bone of contention this evening, as U.S. officials accused Berger of trying to influence the judging and intimidate the American team.

“Ellen Berger calls herself a patriot. I would call her a cheater,” said an outraged Bela Karolyi, one of the American coaches. “She was moving around our kids and putting pressure on the judges.”

Dagmar Kersten and Doerte Thuemmler scored 9.975 and 9.950 respectively in a gutsy performance on the uneven bars as East Germany overtook the Americans on the final rotation.

Solid Performance

The United States had taken over third place after its own routine on the uneven bars, in which national champion Phoebe Mills capped a solid performance by the U.S. team on that apparatus with a 9.925.

“This is the best team we’ve ever had, better than in 1984,” Jacki said. In 1984, at the Soviet-boycotted Los Angeles Games, the United States took the silver behind Romania.

But the Americans simply could not overcome what may be remembered as the biggest half-point in Olympic gymnastics history.

The half-point penalty had come in Monday’s compulsory competition because team alternate Rhonda Faehn stayed on the platform when teammate Kelly Garrison-Steves performed her routine on the uneven bars.

The Americans argued that the violation was too minor and obscure to merit a deduction from the score the athletes had earned. They said the intent of the rule had not been violated, since it was obvious that Faehn was not assisting Garrison-Steves.

Different Viewpoint

Berger’s comment on the brouhaha was succinct:

“The rule says that a coach or a gymnast cannot be on the podium. It is punishable by a reduction. A rule is a rule,” Berger told the Associated Press.

Virtually lost in the controversy was the fact East Germany performed in the optionals with only five team members.

The sixth, Martina Jentsch, twisted her ankle in a warm-up and did not compete. Gymnastics teams are allowed to throw out the worst of their six scores, but with only five athletes the Germans did not have that luxury.

There was no controversy about the gold medal. The Soviet Union, carried by three perfect scores from star Elena Shushunova, collected 395.475 points to beat arch-rival Romania, the 1987 world champion. Romania wound up with 394.125 points despite two perfect 10s from its latest star, Daniela Silivas.