Did you see what they (IGF and IOC) are asking Paul Hamm to do?
Were sorry WE made the mistake but would kindly give the medal back now!
my take on this is, you gave it to me, then you found out your mistake after the fact. UP yours i'm keeping it! am i wrong? Take your responsibitiy for your actions. Sorry Mr. Yang Tae-young the score stands as is.

 

I personally think he should give it back. This isn't a case of a judge not scoring the guy as high as he deserved, its a mathematical error. The starting score for his routine was supposed to be 10, but instead the judges subtracted his deductions from 9.9... Not giving it back would be like you keeping the extra money in a bank account because of a mathematical error that put an extra 0 on the end of your $100 deposit. You know as well as I do that the bank would take that money back, the "finders keepers" defense doesn't work here.

 

If my score was not the highest score, then I didn't win the contest. I would be quite upset that someone in this day and technological age made a simple mathematical error and that error caused the situation I was in, but if I didn't win, I would personally hand the Gold medal to the real winner with my congratulations. Right is right. Better to have your honor than falsely gained pride.

 

It was also discovered that the judges failed to give the South Korean gymnast a 2/10s deduction for an error of his that they missed. That would put the Korean back to the same score that the judges gave him, and that eliminates any claim he has to the gold medal. No athlete should have to suffer the loss of a medal he or she's been awarded because a judge made an error, and the opposing team failed to contest it within the required time frame. The only reason they're doing this is to cover their own butts in an attempt to placate the Koreans. Case closed.

 

If I was given the medal due to a mathematical error on behalf of the judges, then I give it back. It wouldn't mean anything to me if I didn't win it honestly.

 

Jeff is right. They missed a fault in the Korean's routine. In the age of instant replay there are no take-backs. It's just too bad they have to spoil this for Hamm. His accomplishment will be forever tainted by controversy.

 

the guy gave it is all and won plain and simple. he won. he was the prize and glory. now they want him to give it back just to keep someone else quiet.... hmmm... i dont know but for some reason the just doean't sound right :P

 

The part about them missing a mistake in his routine is irrelevant. There are NO instant replays in gymnastics, HOWEVER, its not too much to ask that the judges know how to add and subtract single digit numbers. That is all this case is about. I'm willing to bet if they went back and reviewed all the routines with a different panel of judges, you would end up with different winners. Just because the judges made this error doesn't make it a judging error, its a mathematical error plain and simple. I still think he should give it back and take the silver which is what he "REALLY" won.

 

I can see how giving the medal back could show the world America isnt all concieded and arrogant. At the same time.....the IOC is the party that needs to show humility, they screwed up. So its their responsiblity to order Hamm to turn over the medal, or tell China "Our bad, better luck next time".
For sure, its not Hamms fault.
What qualifies the judges to be judges anyway...if they were the best.....they'd be doing it, or 'been there, done that' prior olympians?

 

It's the present social beliefs that ruin sports and life in general (it's not my fault I'm fat...it's "insert fast-food joint here"). This is a judged sport in which errors are made. The judges made a mistake, the Koreans had a chance to refute/protest and didn't. Chalk this up to experience (I bet the Koreans will never make this mistake again).

To put this is a different perspective, change the characters a bit:

It's game 7 of the NBA finals (or World Series) and your favorite team is winning. As the time runs out, the ref/ump makes a call (later identified as erroneous) in favor of the opposition that makes them the winner. Should the winning team willingly hand over the trophy to the team who "REALLY" won? Get real.

Try this correlation if the above-mentioned is not "GOOD" enough:

A courtroom judge rules a case (yea or nay). There is a certain amount of time in which to protest the judgement, an appeal. If a person doesn't appeal within a certain time frame, then they're SOL and must live with the decision.

The bank argument is pointless since a bank has a contract with each individual customer (the logic lacks merit...i've an idea...lets compare apples and oranges). The IOC doesn't have a contract with every competitor, and as such, cannot enforce the same standards as a bank.

Keepin' it real,

Chris

 

Well - I am not sure this applies but; I do a lot of competitive power lifting and bench press meets both state and national level. (law enforcement).

When we go to make a lift we have to make sure the weights are correct. For example. Thety load 400 onn the bar and it is written down that I am going for a 375 lift and make it. It will get recorded as a 375 lift even if it is discovered later through films or pics. The reverse is also true.

This is under the IPLF rules. So I am not sure it applies but that is how some sports work...

 

Let us not forget, that in the olympics in Seoul they gave a gold medal to one of the Korean teams(can't for the life of me remember the event) and then said they made the mistake. The Koreans didn't give it back so why should Hamm. You darn well know if the local Ford dealer gave you a deal on a new truck that seemed to good to be true and you signed the papers, and then the finance guy came to you and said we made a mistake we can't honor the deal you would show them the signed paperwork and say it is mine at this price. And then come straight to FTE and tell us about the amazing deal you just got on your new truck.

T. Roberts
UFD Local 1147

 

Until IFG asked Hamm to return the medal the US was asking that a second gold be awarded to the other guy. Now they have removed that request and Unberoff was mad at the interview and I like what he said. You made the error and now you are asking someone else to make it right. Nice.....

Also before the S. Korean conducted his routine the coach was shown the way that he was going to be judged and did not say a thing. Hindsight is always 20/20

 

Well said. That pretty much sums up my thoughts.

 

So, it's not the ACTUAL numbers awarded that counts, but what the judges "intended" their scores to be? Hmmmmmm, that sounds like awfully familiar reasoning from about 4 years ago. No one can deny the fact that these judges screwed up BIG TIME, and they're trying to pass the buck in an attempt to diminish their own humiliation. I shudder to think what the long-term effect on our future athletes would be if Hamm were forced to return his medal. "Aww, why should I try for the Olympics. If I do win, they'll just come up with some excuse why I, as an American, should have to give back my award."

I think the ultimate solution to this nonsense is computerized judging. Why can't they develop software that would standardize the "perfect" routine for any event? They would then record the athlete's performance on a digital camera, feed the data into the computer and compare it to the baseline, and the computer would determine the athlete's score. If everyone could agree on the software, then you'd eliminate the human error factor.