Can anyone say karmic retribution Olympics-style? One week after asking an American television reporter in Vancouver: "Are you stupid?" the Dutch speed skater Sven Kramer was facing the same question himself after an elementary mistake cost him a second gold medal at these Games.
Kramer, who won the 5,000m speed skating last weekend, finished first in Tuesday's 10,000m event only to then be disqualified for skating in the wrong lane for the last eight laps of the 25-lap race. Korean skater Lee Seung-hoon was awarded the gold medal.
The Dutchman, meanwhile, was left to contemplate nine days in Vancouver which have seen his reputation as the best speed skater in the world overshadowed by his now infamous remark in response to television reporter who asked him after the 5,000m finish to identify himself and the colour of medal he had just won. The video clip has become an internet hit. Asked about it on Dutch television, Kramer was unrepentant, describing the interviewer's request that he identify himself as "bullshit", while the clip itself shows he was happy to answer more traditional questions along the lines of "How do you feel?"
The exchange between the American reporters and the athlete sparked a debate around Vancouver and elsewhere, although in a postmodern twist there was a debate about whether the debate should be about the ignorance of American TV reporters or the rudeness of Dutch speed skaters. Surprisingly, Kramer was happy to answer questions in the aftermath of his 10,000m disappointment, although it is unlikely that his coach, Gerard Kemkers, was happy to hear what he had to say.
As Kramer came across the line, he flipped down his hood and threw up his arms, believing he had won his second gold. Then, as he was coasting along on the back stretch, Kemkers delivered the stunning news to his skater: instead of a victory, he had been disqualified for failing to switch lanes on the 17th of 25 laps.
"I knew my world had just collapsed on me," Kemkers said.
After the race was over, the skater was heard shouting at the coach, "What did you do?" Kramer ripped off his protective glasses, threw them into the infield and then kicked at the small rubber lane markers.
"Usually, I don't want to blame anyone else, but this time I can't do anything else,'' the skater said afterwards. "I wanted to go to the outer lane, then just before the cone Gerard shouted: 'Inner lane.' I thought: 'He's probably right,' and went to the inner lane. You have to decide in a split second. I should have gone with my own thoughts, but I was brought into doubt. This is the worst moment of my career."
Lee realised the mistake before Kramer even finished, hugging his coaches on the infield. "I know I was really lucky to get this gold medal," said Lee, who switched from short track only seven months ago.Lee won with an Olympic-record time of 12min 58.55sec, breaking the mark of 12:58.92 set by Jochem Uytdehaage of the Netherlands at the 2002 Salt Lake City Games.
There was sympathy for the Dutchman from his team-mate Bob de Jong, who was elevated into the bronze medal position after Kramer's disqualification. "You don't want to win like this, but everybody has to cross over 25 times," he said. "Your bad dreams all becoming true, to make a mistake in the crossing over. You wake up really wet."
Little sympathy was to be found in the American media, and even less originality, with headline writers all asking the same question: Who is stupid now?
It is safe to say the question was a rhetorical one, although Kramer will be in a position to give an answer on Friday and Saturday, when he will be a member of the Dutch squad in the men's pursuit event. "We have to change heads, to change minds," the pursuit coach, Wopke de Vegt, said. "The Olympics are not over."
American television reporters at the speed-skating rink, please take note.
