Russia Denies Figure Skating Fix Allegation

Ksenia Stolbova and Fedorreact Klimov of Russia perform in the Pairs Free Skating of the Figure Skating Team event at Iceberg Skating Palace during the Sochi 2014 Olympic Games, Sochi, Russia, 08 February 2014. Photo by EPA/BARBARA WALTON.

Russia denied an anonymously sourced report of collusion with the United States to share the figure skating gold medals at the Sochi Olympics, according to Russian media reports.

French sports publication L'Equipe quoted an anonymous Russian coach as saying judges from US would help Russians win gold medals in the pairs and team event, while the Russian judges would assist the US pair to win the ice dance, Ria news agency informed.

US Figure Skating rejected the claim as "categorically false" to the Chicago Tribune and Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko issued a similarly short denial to R-Sport.

The report reminded of the judging scandal in the Salt Lake City games in 2002, when a French judge gave low scores to Canadian skaters in order to assist a Russian pair.

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