FROM SILVER TO GOLD

MONDAY

DECISION

Russia’s Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze win the Olympic gold in pairs figure skating by a 5-4 margin over Canada’s Jamie Sale and David Pelletier. The crowd jeers and commentators howl.

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TUESDAY

FUROR

Reports speculate that French judge Marie Reine Le Gougne sided with the Russians in exchange for a promise that judges from the former Eastern Bloc would favor the French ice dancing team later in the week. The International Skating Union (ISU) launches an inquiry.

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WEDNESDAY

DETAILS

A highly placed figure skating official says Le Gougne admitted in a judges meeting that she was under pressure from the French figure skating federation to vote for the Russians. France’s Olympic chief confirms she may have been manipulated.

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THURSDAY

MANEUVERING

The Court of Arbitration for Sport orders the pairs judges to stay in Salt Lake City until Monday’s ISU meeting. Le Gougne is suspended after telling the head of the ISU that she had “submitted to a certain pressure” from her federation to vote against the Canadians.

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FRIDAY

RULING

Citing judging misconduct, IOC President Jacques Rogge accepts the skating union’s proposal and announces that Sale and Pelletier will receive gold medals. Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze will retain theirs. It is the fourth time the IOC has awarded a second gold medal.