U.S. team protest for Kwan
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ByEurosport
Published 26/03/2004 at 21:59 GMT
The U.S. figure skating team filed a protest after Michelle Kwan was penalised for time violation in her short programme at the world championships on Friday. Organisers said competition officials were studying a protest by the Americans after Kwan, the d
Eurosport
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The judges were advised by the timekeepers that Kwan, who was in fourth position after the short programme and out of the race for the gold, had skated two minutes and 42 seconds, exceeding the authorised time by two seconds.
According to the rules, a skater failing to finish the short programme within the time limit must be punished by a 0.1 deduction in each mark.
Kwan received deducted marks from 5.1 to 5.8 for required elements and 5.6 to 5.9 for presentation.
The 23-year-old Kwan was dreaming of an American record sixth crown that would also have made her the most successful worlds singles competitor since 1936, the year Norway's Sonja Henie collected her 10th gold medal and Austria's Karl Schaefer his seventh.
Kwan seemed satisfied after an error-free routine but her smiled disappeared when she saw that 5.1 in the technical marks.
"I felt very comfortable with my programme," she told reporters.
"This is my 11th worlds so I'm used to competing and don't have to worry about it too much," added the American.
"I will show what can I accomplish here in Dortmund. The rest is not under my control."
The wide range of marks received by Kwan adds weight to ruling body ISU's campaign to bury the controversial 6.0 marking scale, under fire since the 2002 Olympics pairs judging scandal, and replace it with a less subjective points system.
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