Le Gougne's attorneys, Maxwell A. Miller and Erik A. Christiansen, insisted in the letter that "there is no credible, consistent and uncoerced evidence of any misconduct" on her part in voting for the Russian pair.

"The ISU made a political decision under pressure from the IOC and the North American media to ignore its own rules, to invalidate the marks of all of its judges, and then to single out one judge to take the blame for all of the judges involved in the event," the attorneys said. "This hearing is thus unfair, discriminatory, inconsistent with the ISU's own actions, and designed solely to manufacture a scapegoat to justify in the public's eyes the ISU's political decision to ignore its own rules and to award a second gold medal."

They claimed the only credible evidence of misconduct is that of Stapleford "in lobbying judges to vote for the Canadians and in retaliating against Ms. Le Gougne and the French federation when Ms. Le Gougne did not obey Ms. Stapleford."

Stapleford, a British official whose father played hockey in Canada before he moved to England, told ISU investigators in Salt Lake City that she witnessed an outburst by Le Gougne after the pairs event in which Le Gougne said she was pressured by Gailhaguet into voting for the Russian couple.

Several others, including Jon Jackson, an American attorney and figure skating judge who was present but not working at the Olympics, told The Associated Press and other media in Salt Lake City that they also witnessed Le Gougne's outburst and that her complaints of pressure from Gailhaguet were unsolicited.

Le Gougne's attorneys told the ISU they will present evidence to show that Stapleford pressured judges to vote for the Canadian pair and that Pfenning told judges not to give the Russian pair anything higher than a 5.8 because he did not want "the door closed" for other skaters.

Pfenning's attorney, Benjamin Kaplan, declined to discuss the claims made by Le Gougne's lawyers.

Stapleford, who could not be reached for comment, previously denied Le Gougne's allegations.

In the event review meeting on Feb. 12, the morning after the pairs free program, Pfenning gave a letter to all the judges and read it aloud, accusing the five judges who voted for the Russian pair as being dishonest. At that point, according to Le Gougne's attorneys, many judges started crying, including Le Gougne, who said she was under pressure from Gailhaguet.

The next day, Le Gougne met with ISU president Ottavio Cinquanta and general secretary Fredi Schmid and signed a letter written by Schmid, which includes the following questions and answers:

"Is it true that you have declared on the occasion of the review meeting that you received instructions from (Gailhaguet)?"

"Yes, it is true but I wish to add that my emotional condition at that moment was not such to give me the opportunity to give a proper response."

"Is it true that in private you told (Pfenning, after the review meeting) that the (Canadians) were the best but you had to do what you have done?"

"No, absolutely not, when I gave the marks, I was conscious having at that moment the (Russians) as the best couple in the free skating. The fact that the day after I could have had a different opinion this should not have any relation with my judgment."

Schmid added that Le Gougne "wished to point out that contrary to what appeared (in the media) she never ever discussed or reached any understanding with the (Russian) representatives."

On Feb. 14, the Canadian Olympic Association filed a complaint against the ISU and was granted a hearing by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. At the same time, the ISU came under considerable pressure from the International Olympic Committee, and especially its president, Jacques Rogge, to resolve the situation speedily.

The next day, Rogge and Cinquanta announced that Sale and Pelletier would receive gold medals.

In suspending Le Gougne, Cinquanta said she "acted in a way that was not adequate to guarantee both pairs equal condition. We have declared misconduct. The investigation is not concluded, but we have got enough evidence to take the first decision."

Rogge said he didn't think the Olympic movement was damaged by the scandal "because it was resolved fast. This is definitely a closed matter."

Le Gougne's attorneys, who could take their case to the CAS if they lose in Lausanne, are arguing now that it was closed too fast and that the matter is far from closed.