Winter Olympics: Speed skating ice maker denies being pressured by Dutch team

Canadian Mark Messer says he told Dutch official ‘not to come back’ after conversation

Canadian Ice Master Mark Messer (2nd L) uses a fire extinguisher to repair the ice at the 2006 Olympic speedskating venue "The Oval Lingotto" as his colleagues watch during a team practise for the World Cup Speed Skating tournament in Turin December 8, 2005. REUTERS/Jerry Lampen/File Photo (REUTERS)

The Winter Olympic speed skating ice maker has denied being pressured by the Dutch team to make conditions favourable to their athletes.

Canadian Mark Messer said that although he met with Dutch team scientist Sander van Ginkel, he had not altered the surface at Beijing’s National Speed Skating Oval.

A Dutch website had quoted Sander van Ginkel, who said he had shared tests and measurements with Mr Messer.

“Messer understands that I share things like this with him because our team can benefit from it when the conditions are optimal ... Look, ultimate responsibility for the ice remains with Messer at all times. By naming things and continuing to insist on adjustments that are in our favour, we can achieve something more,” Mr Van Ginkel was quoted as saying.

The ice maker, who has worked six Winter Olympics, told Reuters that he was upset with the suggestion he had been pressured in any way.

“The actual conversation that goes with that picture is me telling him not to come back, because I’m not going to tell him anything that I’m not going to tell every other country. But they have twisted this around,” said Mr Messer.

“It’s my reputation on the line ... I’m very upset with this story and the way it’s developed.”

The Netherlands has traditionally dominated speed skating, winning a record 121 medals overall, with 42 golds.

The technical director of the Dutch skating association, Remy de Wit, said his team believed in fair play and denied their scientist had any influence over the ice conditions.

“Our scientist is here to make sure we have the right knowledge about the ice that has been made by the ice-makers,” he said.

“I can understand that the words (in the article) could be interpreted in an unlucky way. They could have been chosen differently. I am not responsible for what’s written in those articles.”

The Dutch team added that their scientist had measured the ice temperature and climate at every tournament and had spoken “in general with the ice masters in Beijing about all topics concerning the climate in the oval. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“We all love to hold skating competitions under the best circumstances, equal for all competitors: a level playing field. This is what the conversations were about. But if this mutual interest of ice specialists has led to inconvenience at the Swedish team we feel sorry for that,” the statement said.

Reuters contributed to this report.