One day after Sven Kramer was disqualified in the men's 10,000 meters speed skating of the Vancouver Olympic Winter Games, the Dutch coach Gerard Kemkers said in Vancouver on Wednesday that he takes the blame for Kramer's mistake.
South Korean Lee Seung-Hoon, a surprised winner in the 5,000m 10 days ago at the Richmond Olympic Oval, lifted the title after Kramer's disqualification.
Kramer blamed his coach Kemkers after the race on Tuesday: "Usually, I don't want to blame anyone else, but this time I can't do anything else," he said. "I wanted to go on the outer lane then just before the cone, Gerard shouted 'inner lane.' I thought 'he's probably right' and went to the inner lane."
Coach Kemkers said: "I made my decision based on a series of observations. With these observations in mind, I was convinced Sven was making a mistake and that I was saving him from this mistake."
"More often than not, everything works out fine. This time it didn't, with terrible consequences. If that gives people the image of me as a scapegoat, then I guess I just have to swallow that," Kemkers said.
"In a lot of races it went fine. This time it went wrong. Gerard was alone. Normally there is someone behind the boarding that can write things down, but that is just not possible here with the camera rails. But I do not want to use that as an excuse," Kramer said.
Kemkers agreed:"During our collaboration Sven has been undefeated for four years. He would still be undefeated right now if yesterday hadn't happened. I have no doubts that yesterday's situation makes us better and that we will get more motivation out of this," Kemkers said.
"It is not going to help anyone if I tear the whole place down. I am not the person that will stay angry for a long time. It is not going to help me, the team or Gerard."
South Korean Lee Seung-Hoon, a surprised winner in the 5,000m 10 days ago at the Richmond Olympic Oval, lifted the title after Kramer's disqualification.
Kramer blamed his coach Kemkers after the race on Tuesday: "Usually, I don't want to blame anyone else, but this time I can't do anything else," he said. "I wanted to go on the outer lane then just before the cone, Gerard shouted 'inner lane.' I thought 'he's probably right' and went to the inner lane."
Coach Kemkers said: "I made my decision based on a series of observations. With these observations in mind, I was convinced Sven was making a mistake and that I was saving him from this mistake."
"More often than not, everything works out fine. This time it didn't, with terrible consequences. If that gives people the image of me as a scapegoat, then I guess I just have to swallow that," Kemkers said.
"In a lot of races it went fine. This time it went wrong. Gerard was alone. Normally there is someone behind the boarding that can write things down, but that is just not possible here with the camera rails. But I do not want to use that as an excuse," Kramer said.
Kemkers agreed:"During our collaboration Sven has been undefeated for four years. He would still be undefeated right now if yesterday hadn't happened. I have no doubts that yesterday's situation makes us better and that we will get more motivation out of this," Kemkers said.
"It is not going to help anyone if I tear the whole place down. I am not the person that will stay angry for a long time. It is not going to help me, the team or Gerard."
