Judging scandal probe targets top French official

SALT LAKE CITY - An International Skating Union investigation of the pairs judging scandal zeroed in Monday on Didier Gailhaguet, head of France's Salt Lake Olympic delegation and president of the French ice sports federation.

French pairs judge Marie-Reine Le Gougne has told ISU investigators that Gailhaguet pressured her to vote for a Russian pairs team in last week's competiton.

ISU officials also said they have found no evidence of collusion between the Russian and French skating federations.

Last week the ISU suspended Le Gougne for failing to report before the Olympic pairs competition that she had been pressured by members of the French federation to rank the Russian team of Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze, first.

Le Gougne did place the Russians first but told ISU investigators her vote was not the result of federation pressure. Because of Le Gougne's suspension, the International Olympic Committee voted to award a second gold medal to Canada's Jamie Sale and David Pelletier.

Gailhuguet denied Le Gougne's charges in a meeting with ISU investigators Monday.

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