That’s class

“Judging irregularity” is what they’re calling it. I call it judging corruption. Not since the 2002 figure skating have we seen this nonsense. First, a “judging error” cost South Korean Yang Tae-young the gold in the men’s all-around finals, falsely awarding it to American Paul Hamm. Then, Canadian Kyle Shewfelt was robbed out of the bronze of the men’s vaulting finals, despite the fact that the Romanian athlete who edged him out fell off the vault. (Canada’s appeal, by the way, was rejected… by an official who also happens to be Romanian. Coincidence? Doubtful.)

By the last event – the men’s high-bar finals – the crowd was fed up with the judges. And they let them know, by booing loudly when Russian Alexei Nemov got a score that they perceived as too low. The crowd kept on booing so long, in fact, that the next competitor – American Paul Hamm – had to wait them out before he could start his routine.

In the end, the only person who could calm them was Alexei Nemov. Showing incredible sportsmanship considering he’d just lost his chance at a medal, he applauded his competitors and urged the crowd to calm down so that the event could go on.

Now that’s class. If only the judges showed some.