Controversial Officiating Ends Korean Reign
By Kang Seung-woo
Staff Reporter
The Korean women short trackers waved their country's flag in triumph after running away with first place in the 3,000-meter relay at the Pacific Coliseum.
But their coaching staff remained stoic, knowing that a collision in the race could affect the official result.
To add to the suspense, Jim Hewish of Australia, the same referee who disqualified Kim Dong-sung in the 2002 Olympics, was the chief judge.
Once again, South Korea was disqualified for interference in the final, allowing China to stand atop the podium at the Vancouver Winter Olympics (KST).
Host Canada, which crossed the line third, won a silver medal and the United States picked up a bronze.
With the disqualification, the women's team failed to win a record fifth-straight gold medal in the event at the Winter Games.
In the 27-lap race, favorites Korea and China had several lead changes before the incident occurred.
With five laps to go, Lee Eun-byul pushed Kim Min-jung through an exchange of skaters and Kim took the lead, skating inside. When her skates went into Sun Linlin's, the Chinese skater was knocked off course.
Korea was then able to easily cross the finish line in first.
However, after several minutes of a referee review, the Korean team was disqualified for impeding, causing coach Choi Kwang-bok to bang the barrier in anger and scream at a judge, with his skaters bursting into tears.
"Before the race, I told the players to be careful because the chief referee was the same one who disqualified Kim Dong-sung (at the Salt Lake Olympics in 2002). But it happened again,'' Choi said.
"There is no regulation to appeal a decision in short track, so I must accept the disqualification."
Kim was stripped of his gold medal in the men's 1,500-meter race after being controversially disqualified for blocking Apolo Anton Ohno of the United States.
"She was trying to overtake me and she couldn't get through, so I guess that's how the collision happened," Sun said of Kim's move that doomed the Korean's dominant streak.
"I think the referee's decision is fair."
Her teammate backed Sun.
"We are not exactly clear on what happened," said China's Wang Meng. "In short track, there is a lot of physical contact. The Korean skater (Kim) was trying to make a pass when the contact happened.
"Regardless of the referee's decision, whether it was for or against us, we would have accepted it."
Earlier in the day, South Korean short trackers cruised in individual events.
Park Seung-hi and Cho Ha-ri advanced to the quarterfinals in the women's 1,000 meters, while Lee Ho-suk, Sung Si-bak and Kwak Yoon-gy reached the quarterfinals in the men's 500, winning in each race of the heats.
The finals of the two races, along with the men's 5,000-meter relay, will take place on Saturday (KST).