Was Alicia Sacramone Robbed By The Judges?
This week’s installment of For Argument’s Sake centers on gymnastics. I’ll be honest. I don’t pay any attention to gymnastics at any other time during the year … well, during the last four years actually. But for some reason, maybe because it’s the 2008 Olympics, I find myself wanting to watch. I find myself staying up late to watch. And I find myself enamored with the likes of Nastia Liukin, Shawn Johnson and Jonathan Horton (who won a silver medal on the high bar the other night by the way!).
There’s been a few “scandals” throughout the gymnastic competition, mostly on the girls’ side of things. There’s been whispers about the “real” age of the Chinese girls’ gymnasts. There’s been hemming and hawing about the judges being too critical of the U.S. team. And there’s been complaints about how the judges low-balled Alicia Sacramone during the individual vault competition.
So what I want to know is this: Was Alicia Sacramone robbed by the judges?
(Don’t forget to cast your vote in the poll!)
My argument is this:
I don’t know a thing about gymnastics scoring. I’ve listened to the analysts, some of who say the scoring was fair and others who say Sacramone was scored unfairly. 
What I understand is this: the start value has a huge influence on the overall score. If you have a start value that is high but don’t execute the routine all that well, you can still score higher than someone who has a lower start value and executes the routine to perfection. Does that make sense? Yes. Is it fair? I don’t know. I suppose if someone takes on a harder routine they should be scored higher, but isn’t that also a risk to take? If you take on a more difficult routine then it is on you to make it great, difficult or not. That is the risk you take. I say if the routine is flawless, score them higher. But if someone falls on her knees during the routine (cough, Cheng Fei), that should have been a HUGE deduction as opposed to someone (cough, Sacramone) who doesn’t fall on her knees during a routine.
But what do I know? I’m just a viewer.
Now, I don’t think everyone should be crying and shouting “conspiracy.” The bottom line is that the home country has always influenced the judges, whether we like it or not. The U.S. has gotten our fair share of “homer” judges in past Olympics. So you really can’t blame the Chinese for that.
As for Sacramone … I just feel bad for the girl. She didn’t pull her weight in the team competition. And even though the U.S. won a silver medal, I’m sure she feels responsible for essentially losing any gold medal hopes for the rest of the team. The individual vault competition was supposed to be her shot at redemption. It was supposed to her one chance to salvage what she deems as a disappointing Olympic run. But it didn’t go her way.
Instead, Cheng Fei edged her out of a bronze medal with a knee-landing vault. A 33-year-old gymnast from the German team (who I give MAJOR props) won the silver. And Hong Un Jong from Korea took gold.
I don’t think Sacramone was robbed. But I do think she’ll be thinking about these 2008 Olympic games for the next four years … maybe even for the rest of her life.
The results of the Michael Phelps poll are in! The question was: Who’s the greatest athlete of all time? Wow. Michael Phelps ran away with that one. Almost everyone vote him as the greatest athlete of all time. That’s a pretty bold statement!
For previous editions of For Argument’s Sake, go here.
Photo provided by Newscom
Tags: 2008 olympics, 33-year-old gymnast, alicia sacramone, cheng fei, China2008 olympic games, Chinese gymnasts, For Argument's Sake, gymnastics, hong un jong, jonathan horton, korea, Nastia Liukin, shawn johnsonRelated Stories
POSTED IN: For Argument's Sake, Olympics
3 opinions for Was Alicia Sacramone Robbed By The Judges?
Mike Pincher
Aug 24, 2008 at 5:51 pm
Of course Sacramone was robbed. There is no way that Fei rightly defeated her. It wasn’t just the landing, but she was technically flawed at at least two other points she should have been deducted for. It you don’t know anything about scoring then simply keep your mouth shut rather than simply say the judges were fair. They were anything but. But I’ll tell you what’s worse. The Americans did not stand up for one of their own, and that truly sucks. Sacramone should feel as patriotic right now as Benedict Arnold–only in reverse. It’s her own country who did not stand up for her, the gutless cowards. She has every right to be bitter, and should be. And another thing. What happened to her in the Team competition could have happened to anybody. Leukin and Johnson weren’t perfect either. It was just one of those unfortunate nights that even great athletes have. Look at that winter Olympics skating when Sarah Hughes, who career-wise couldn’t even carry Michelle Kwan’s skates–nevertheless got the gold over Kwan and that Japanese girl because the latter two underperformed. On a given night, anything can happen, and I mean anything. Hughes got the gold because she did skate the best that night, even though her performance was good but certainly not special. But it was still better than what those other two could muster. That simply happens sometimes in sport. The normally superior performer doesn’t always perform as they should at the worst possible time. It’s simply called life.
Lyndsey D'Arcangelo
Aug 24, 2008 at 8:39 pm
Wow Mike … why don’t you tell us how you really feel.
simmmmadonna … it is, as you said, just life.
raul velazquez
Sep 22, 2008 at 10:47 am
alicia is the best.
i hope someday meet her.
wow alish,i like you.
peace
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