“Wish Disappearance of Wrong Judgment-Drugs at Torino---”

19th Salt Lake Winter Olympics that was tumultuous due to `Propriety of judgment` got a stain once again by `drugs scandal` on the last day.

International Olympic committee (IOC) reported on 25th that athletes such as John Muereg (Spain) who won 3 gold medals in men`s cross country, Larisha Lajutina (Russia) who was winner of 30 km women`s cross country, and Olga Danirova (Russia) who was also cross-country athlete were tested positive for prohibited drugs.

Therefore Muereg and Lajutina were disqualified from 1st position.

As Muereg and Lajunita were disqualified from gold medal in each men`s 50km cross-country and women`s 30km cross-country respectively, therefore gold medal went to the second winner, however they were conferred with the gold medal after passing dope test.

However, two would become the first case that was disqualified medal as they tested positive for prohibited drugs in this winter Olympics.

The case of gold medalist being disqualified by taking prohibited drugs was second one Ros Bugliati (Canada), who was winner in men`s snowboard at Nagano 1998 was also disqualified.

Spain and Russia protested immediately at sports arbitration tribunal after the result was reported.

However, athletes of both countries participated in the closing ceremony on that day on schedule.

Muereg got three gold medals in this game and become `hero of people` however he got big scar in his fame by taking drugs and Lajutina was shocked who got the 10th medal by winning 30km women`s cross country and became the 1st athlete to get maximum medals in women’s cross country in history.

On the other hand, Salt Lake winter Olympics, which will be recorded as `scandal` Olympics` due to continuous `propriety of judgment` and `drugs scandal`, had a closing ceremony at Lice-Ecles stadium.

In this Olympics, which was held for 17 days with 3500 athletes from 77 countries participating, Germany won 12 golds, 16 silver, 7 bronze, and marked two successive wins in succession with Nagano Olympics, 1998.

Korea ranked 14th by winning 2 golds, 2 silver therefore failed to go within 10th grade for 4 times successively.

There were many untoward events unusually, however 9 new world records, 8 in long track, 1 in short track were recorded in only speed skating.

After finishing closing ceremony which was splendid, staged by American pop singer’s concert and 10,000 firecrackers in Salt Lake City, athletes promised to meet again at Torino, Italy after 4 years.

ssoo@donga.com