Why Was a Japanese Gymnastics Coach Caught on Video Handing a $100 Bill to the Judges?
- Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:28am by
Mike Opelka
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Did you see the curious events surrounding the final point totals in the Men’s Gymnastics competition on Monday? The favored Japanese mens team was dangerously close to not winning the gold medal. In fact, the highly-ranked Japanese team was teetering on missing out winning any medal until their team handed a fistful of cash to the judges.
It sounds dicey, but believe it or not nothing untoward or illegal was happening.
In Olympic competition, you can file an appeal to have your performance reviewed and possibly see your score changed. However, filing an appeal requires cash payment before the judges will review anything. And if you lose the appeal, you lose the cash.
Following the performance and scoring of three-time world champion, Kohei Uchimura on the pommel horse, Japan filed an appeal (with cash in hand), asking that the judges to review the scoring on Uchimura’s dismount. A review was completed, the score upgraded by 0.70. That slight increase was enough to move Japan from 4th place into second, giving them the silver medal. (It must be noted that after a successful review, all cash is returned to the team/person petitioning the judges. Losing an appeal means the money is forfeited.)
Watch this YouTube clip of the event:
In a way, the IOC‘s policy has some similarities to the NFL’s policy of giving coaches a limited number of video replay reviews. In the case of professional football, teams are penalized with the loss of a time out if their appeal is denied. They don’t post a cash deposit, but each appeal effectively puts a valuable time out at risk.
The requirement of a cash payment before an appeal is filed does feel a tad creepy to most folks we surveyed in the Blaze newsroom. However, we also understand that adding a potential monetary penalty to the appeal process probably prevents endless appeals from being filed. One Blaze editor suggested that the cash stipulation should be replaced by the possibility of a reduced score if the appeal is not successful. Do you have a better idea / suggestion? Feel free to comment below.
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Comments (100)
gridlock812
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 12:04pmWhat a disgusting way to get clicks.
Mike Opelka should be fired.
Report Post »Ed_Kel
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 12:31pmDitto
Report Post »muffythetuffy
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 12:59pmThe US $100 bill is the acceptable bribe in Europe. Giving a judge $100 to change his decision is acceptable in most of the world. In America its OK too as long as its done in secret and no one sees.
Report Post »ISRAELISOURFRIEND
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 1:22pmReminiscent of Obama politics:
Money is the seed of corruption, swaying voters, swaying support, getting a large populous to buy your lies through the power of corrupt media and distorted truth.
FACT IS, IF YOU’RE NOT BLIND YOU CAN SEE. THE TRUTH IS STILL AND WILL ALWAYS BE ABSOLUTE!
Thanks for bringing this to light!
Report Post »netmail
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 1:38pmNon-story. Announcers explained all this last night as it unfolded. Quit wasting our time with BS.
Report Post »Kankokage
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:36pmSigh. I love Glenn, but this is a stupid non-story trying to drum up surprise over what turned out to be a very legitimate procedure and complaint by the Japanese. Do yourselves a favor and delete it from your archives to prevent further embarrassment.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:47pmI’m shocked; shocked I tell you. The entire World knows that the American dollar is very devalued.
They should be bribing in the German Mark or another currency. : )
Report Post »Johnny Cocheroo
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 4:32pmI concur that Mike Opelka should be fired – or at least read the dictionary to determine the base meaning of “caught”.
Garbage innuendo article. What a waste of time.
Report Post »Mike Opelka
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 5:53pm“It sounds dicey, but believe it or not nothing untoward or illegal was happening.”
Report Post »Question with BOLDness
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 8:09pmAgreed! I wouldn’t have clicked on the story had I known
Report Post »IBHowe
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 8:10pmI agree.
Report Post »I don’t know why I even clicked, I already knew the answer because I watched that part of the Olympics and the announcers clarified it right then & there, just so this kind of crap journalism didn’t happen.
ManThong
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:04pmGet me a Coke, please.. and keep the change.
Report Post »PASSIONFORCHRIST
Posted on August 1, 2012 at 2:10amMy opinion is AMERICAN TEAMS SHOULD JUST PACK UP AND TELL LONDON TO *** OFF!!! THE OLYMPICS ARE SUCH A FARCE, TOTAL COMMUNISTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! THEY HATE US BECAUSE WERE MORE FREE THEN THEY ARE AND HOPEFULLY WILL BE FREER WHEN MITT IS VOTED AS PRESIDENT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Report Post »kindling
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 12:02pmI don’t care what is going on in the world because every time there is a distraction Obama takes away a bit more of our freedom. We must not take our eye off the walnut shell.
Report Post »steve61lindsey
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 2:29pmObama Akbar!
Report Post »Lizzie43
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 2:43pmvery true
Report Post »Irishtech
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:42amI don’t trust any Olympic sport that has judges. they always seem to judge some countries more strict than others.
Report Post »DouglassFiller
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:40pmYou mean, for example, the S. Korean/German fencing travesty. Having to wait an hour without leaving the platform, having an absurd judgement passed on, then thrust without proper warmup into a match against China for bronze. Talk about a cluster-frak. That was one tormented girl.
Report Post »whatthecrazy
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:42amThere is nothing more creepy or criminal than whats going on in Washingto D.C .
Report Post »Blazen420
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:37amWatersrpeople, Are you okay? You are not making any sense….Are you wasted?
Report Post »barber2
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:51amThat one NEVER makes any sense.
Report Post »Arc Angel
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:07pmAre you talking about Maxine or Who? I tought this was about the Olympics.
Report Post »Blazen420
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:35amSo you have to pay money to appeal the mistakes of others? That is what you call bribery!
Report Post »Blazen420
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:34amIt is still bribery. Only difference is that bribery is part of the rules in the olympics.
Report Post »Dudley Do-Right
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:32amHe was paying the required fee to submit his appeal. This was explained in detail by the announcers last night. I would say this headline suggests cheating on the part of the Japanese Team and I find it offensive.
Report Post »blOWS
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:43amA fistful of US dollars to anyone suggests commerce or services rendered….oh, and the score improved after? Really?
Report Post »antiencenom
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:44amYes,I agree
Report Post »I didn’t see.any “money exchanged in this whole video,
The money has a paperclip on it,when he is talking to the first judge then he goes to the table.
But he did not give the money to anyone in this video,Com on
Saintfyre
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 5:30pm@Blows, yeah his score did go up, and the money was returned to the Coach since he was valid in his dispute. Learn to read before making stupid statements, this isn’t bribery.
Report Post »watersRpeople
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:17amIt’s kind of funny that some Progressives want to make all drugs legal – the free flow of drugs. And still other Progressives want to keep drugs illegal. The ones who want all drugs to flow freely all work for me.
Report Post »The-Monk
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:52pm@watersRpeople
Ron Paul works for you, you say? I think you might be correct this time.
Report Post »Constructionist
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:11amThey will have to create a new system regardless; after the next round of QE, a handful of one hundred dollar bills will only be worth a buck fifty anyway.
Report Post »Ari Ben TZion
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:16amSupport Chick-fil-A, Wednesday, August 1, 2012
Cancel you Amazon account and ask others to do the same.
Report Post »littleshopofordnance
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:10amMany competitions allow protests to scores. All that I am aware of require a cash post to file the protest. This keeps people from filing protests just to clog the system or protest frivolous things. All shooting competitions I shoot in have the cash for protest (NRA, ICORE, USPSA)
Report Post »4xeverything
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:09amHa, I love it! The Japanese in London using the American dollar to pay international judges.
Report Post »saranda
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:07amOnce again the blaze uses a headline intended only to draw traffic to a non event story. If the comments were not so entertaining this site would be a bust. Every day that I come hear I am more convinced that many of you post trying to be funny as no one could believe some of what is written.
Report Post »RightUnite
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:16amAnd yet, here you are….. Trolling much??
Report Post »SunnyFLBeaches
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:18amYet you keep coming. If you don’t like what you read…then don’t keep coming “hear”. Duh.
Report Post »jeffile
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:19amReally? Really? You don’t believe this is a major story? Must be nice to live in your bubble.
Report Post »MartyTr
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 12:25pmYou could go the The Nation Magazine and read about their communist ideology. They hate God, America and Israel. Talk about narrow minded.
Report Post »Anonymous T. Irrelevant
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 3:20pm@SARANDA
Report Post »You have my permission to go back to the HuffingPuffing Post.
Dismayed Veteran
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:00amIs this a mandate or a tax? We better ask Roberts.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:56am“One Blaze editor suggested that the cash stipulation should be replaced by the possibility of a reduced score if the appeal is not successful.”
Report Post »Blaze editor, then everyone in 4th place and lower could throw the red flag with no significant penalty.
sWampy
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:55amLook like he just had it in his hand, no clue why he would have usd .
Report Post »Satrix
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:53amSorry, coach. Euros are no good here. Let’s see a Benjamin.
Report Post »Gonzo
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 11:06amYes, our worthless paper is still better than any other worthless paper.
Report Post »MartyTr
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 12:30pmGonzo, yes America will be the last to fall thanks to socialism. Marxists are saying capitalism isn’t working, I say socialism isn’t working. (You know like Greece, Spain, Italy, Ireland, Mexico… )
Report Post »watersRpeople
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:50amMy change would be that people slow down a lot, be still. Quit being so busy and all. Your minds bounce around too much. As soon as I get your attention you’re off to another morsel of thought over there or over there. Kind of makes me want to get you stuck in the mud.
Report Post »Madmilo
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 5:30pmDude, What are you smokin’?
Report Post »jamesctheman
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:49amThe spirit of the Olympic games is a reflection on the current state of politics. Corruption, lies & bribery. Why is anyone shocked that in this climate this wouldn’t be the normal thing. If that is the rule then who gets the cash? The judges or the IOC. Looked like a pretty good wad. Bet you could have a nice dinner out.
Report Post »DrunkGOP_Hack
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:44amAre those AMERICAN green backs?
Report Post »hummmm!?
forthepeople
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:43amNothing has changed , Doping , Bribery , Olympics !
Report Post »Cosmos102
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:43amI don’t blame the Japonese for filing an appeal.
Report Post »barber2
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:39amPhotoshop ? ( Are the Democrats mad at the Japanese ?? )
Report Post »OniKaze
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 12:18pmThat does look like a fake photo doesn’t it? The “dollar” doesn’t look right in accordance to the hand holding it.. Also, why is a Japanese coach (Japan uses the Yen) giving American money to a British judge (Brits use the Pound…)
Seems kinda odd, since the American dollar isn’t worth too much (thanks to Fuhrer Obama)..
Report Post »Snowleopard {gallery of cat folks}
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:37amBribery…pure and simple.
Report Post »Chuck J
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 2:55pmIt’s not much of a bribe, as, in accordance with the rules, the $100 was returned to the Japanese when they received the ruling in their favor. The would have lost the $100 only if they were ruled against.
There are plenty of examples of IOC corruption. This is not one of them.
Report Post »contkmi
Posted on July 31, 2012 at 10:35amThe IOC is a corrupt organization? I’m shocked, I tell you. Shocked!
Aren’t they mostly the same folks that run the UN?
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