Olympic disputes put sport in focus

MILL CREEK – Olympic gymnast Brett McClure will always cherish his memories of the 2004 Athens games, even though the results came with some frustration.

McClure, a member of the silver medal-winning U.S. gymnastics team, was let down by the inconsistency of judging at the games.

“It was so apparent this year,” McClure said Wednesday while being honored by his hometown. “So maybe they’ll make some changes” in future competitions.

McClure claims that after his rings routine in the individual all-around final, a judge informed U.S. coaches that McClure had been docked three-tenths of a point for not holding a horizontal move known as the Maltese for more than two seconds. The coaches immediately filed a protest, but the ruling stood. McClure finished ninth, three-tenths of a point out of fifth in the all-around and five-tenths out of the bronze medal.

McClure claims that two other judges told the U.S. coaches he should have gotten credit for the Maltese but that the head judge had overruled them.

“We watched a videotape when I got back (to the U.S.), and I clearly should have gotten credit,” McClure said. “But that kind of stuff happens. I just held my head high, and I’m happy that’s what I did. I still think I did well in the all-around finals, no matter what my score was.”

Then there was the controversy involving teammate Paul Hamm, who won gold in the all-around after the judges mistakenly took points away from a Korean opponent. Korea’s Young Tae Yang eventually won the bronze medal.

“I had no idea so many people felt so strongly about it and that it was such a big topic,” McClure said of Hamm’s controversial gold medal.

“I really feel bad for Paul, because he didn’t do anything wrong. He went out there, did his gymnastics, and that’s what he left on the floor. Now everything else is happening around him, and it’s not his fault. People are asking him to make unfair decisions.

“At the same time, it’s bringing attention to our sport. I think ultimately, it’s probably a good thing.”

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