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Although age and injury took its toll, Nemov competed through to the 2004 Athens Olympics, mainly as an anchor for the fledgling Russian team. Though unable to defend his all-around title, Nemov's performances brought the house down in Athens, and placed him in the middle of a judging controversy. After performing a routine with six release skills in the high bar finals (including four in a row), the judges posted a score of 9.725, placing him in third with several athletes still to compete. The crowd erupted in a chorus of boos and cheers upon seeing the results and interrupted the competition for nearly 15 minutes. The judges felt the pressure of the crowd, reevaluated the routine, and increased his score to a 9.762, which still placed him out of the medals. The crowd continued their raucous protest, subsiding only after Nemov stepped up to the podium and pleaded with his supporters to quiet down for the sake of the other athletes. This scandal was finally credited as one of the last straws after several judging controversies in the competition, and fueled a massive reconstruction of the scoring system which was implemented in 2006. Nemov rarely criticised the judges or the situation. The Russian Olympic Committee later awarded Nemov $40,000 in recognition of his class and character, and he retired from gymnastics soon after. |
