- Born:
- November 22, 1974, Sayabec, Quebec, Canada (age 51)
- Awards And Honors:
- Winter Olympic Games
- Notable Family Members:
- spouse Jamie Salé
David Pelletier
-
Who is David Pelletier?
David Pelletier, born on November 22, 1974, is a Canadian pairs figure skater. With his partner, Jamie Salé, he won a gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City after a judging scandal, sharing it with Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze of Russia.
Pelletier initially competed in both singles and pairs, but focused on the latter. Before teaming up with Salé in 1998, he skated with several partners, including Allison Gaylor.
Salé and Pelletier quickly achieved success, earning several Grand Prix bronze medals and placing second at the 1999 Canadian championships. Their success continued into 2001, when they won all events they entered, including the world championships. After the Olympics, Pelletier and Salé retired from amateur skating and joined Stars on Ice. They married in 2005 but divorced in 2010, ceasing to skate professionally in 2012. Pelletier later became a skating coach for the Edmonton Oilers.
1 Britannica SourceCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What sport did David Pelletier compete in?
David Pelletier is a Canadian pairs figure skater who, with his partner Jamie Salé, was awarded a gold medal at the 2002 Winter Games. He began skating as a young child, and at age 15, he chose to concentrate on figure skating. Pelletier initially competed in both singles and pair events but eventually focused on the latter sport. He skated with several partners before teaming up with Salé in 1998. Figure skating is a sport characterized by various jumps, spins, and dance movements.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Who was David Pelletierâs skating partner?
David Pelletier's most notable skating partner was Jamie Salé. They teamed up in 1998 and achieved impressive results almost immediately, securing bronze medals in Grand Prix events and second place at the Canadian championships in 1999.
Salé and Pelletier's partnership reached its peak at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. Despite a compelling performance, a judging scandal led to them initially being awarded the silver medal. However, after investigation, they were also awarded a gold medal, sharing it with the Russian pair, Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze. After the Olympics, Salé and Pelletier retired from amateur skating and performed professionally before marrying in 2005 and divorcing in 2010.
Pelletier had other skating partners, including Allison Gaylor, with whom he won a silver medal at the Canadian championships in 1995.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What major event did David Pelletier compete in at the 2002 Winter Olympics?
David Pelletier competed in the pairs figure skating event at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah. He and his partner, Jamie Salé, initially received the silver medal but were later awarded a gold medal after a judging scandal. They shared the gold with the Russian pair, Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Why was David Pelletier involved in a controversy at the 2002 Olympics?
David Pelletier, along with his skating partner Jamie Salé, was involved in a controversy at the 2002 Winter Olympics after a judging scandal. Despite what appeared to be a flawless performance, their scores were lower than the Russian pair, Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze, who had made errors. A judge later admitted to being coerced into voting for the Russian pair, though she later recanted the story. The International Skating Federation ultimately declared a tie, awarding Salé and Pelletier a second set of gold medals.
4 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How did the controversy affect the scoring and judging of figure skating?
The controversy at the 2002 Winter Olympics, where David Pelletier and Jamie Salé were awarded a second gold medal, led to significant changes in figure skating scoring and judging.
The International Judging System (IJS) was introduced in 2004, replacing the subjective "6.0 system". The IJS consists of a technical score, determined by a five-member Technical Panel, and a presentation score, determined by a group of up to nine judges. This system aimed to reduce subjectivity and potential bias in scoring.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
David Pelletier (born November 22, 1974, Sayabec, Quebec, Canada) is a Canadian pairs figure skater who, with his partner Jamie Salé, was awarded a gold medal at the 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah, after a judging scandal. The couple shared the gold with the Russian pair, Yelena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze.
(Read Scott Hamiltonâs Britannica entry on figure skating.)
Pelletier began skating as a young child. At age 15ârealizing he did not have much hope of becoming an elite hockey playerâhe chose to concentrate on figure skating. He initially competed in both singles and pair events but eventually focused on the latter sport. Pelletier skated with several partnersâincluding Allison Gaylor, with whom he won a silver medal at the Canadian championships in 1995âbefore teaming up with SalĂ© in 1998.
Salé and Pelletier began earning impressive results almost immediately. During their first season together, the couple won bronze medals in several Grand Prix events and placed second at the Canadian championships in 1999. The following year they won a number of gold medals, including the Canadian championship. Their success continued in 2001 as they won all the events in which they competed, including the world championships.
(Read Scott Hamiltonâs Britannica essay on "Training for Olympic Gold.")
Pelletier and Salé entered the 2002 Winter Olympics as strong contenders for the gold medal. After skating a technically and emotionally compelling and nearly flawless long-program routine, they appeared to have won the event. When the scores were posted, however, their marks for presentation were lower than those of Berezhnaya and Sikharulidze, despite errors by the Russians. Moreover, five of the nine judges had awarded first-place ordinals to the Russians. Much to the dismay of many in the arena, Pelletier and Sale received the silver medal. In the resulting media frenzy, however, the French judge, Marie-Reine Le Gougne, claimed to have been coerced into voting for the Russians by the president of the French skating federation, Didier Gailhaguet, in a vote-swapping arrangement designed to guarantee a gold medal for the French ice dancers. Le Gougne later recanted her story. After an investigation, the International Skating Federation decided to declare a tie, and Salé and Pelletier were awarded a second set of gold medals on February 17, 2002.
Pelletier and Salé did not participate in the world championships in March 2002, and in late April they announced that they were retiring from amateur skating. They subsequently joined the professional ranks and performed with Stars on Ice, a touring figure-skating show. The couple married in 2005 but divorced in 2010. Two years later they stopped skating professionally. Pelletier later was a skating coach for the Edmonton Oilers of the NHL.
The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.
SUBSCRIBE
