Shin A-Lam, South Korean Fencer, Refuses To Leave Floor After Controversial Call (PHOTOS)

Sometimes even Olympians can't catch a break.

South Korea's Shin A-Lam and Germany's Britta Heidemann faced off on Monday in the woman's epee (fencing) to determine who would advance to the gold medal match. Near the end of the duel, it was still unclear who would walk away with Olympic glory, as the two faced off in a sudden-death elimination stand after the regulation match ended in a draw.

Heidemann and Shin had faced off three times in order to determine a winner, each time with one second on the clock. In the third round, it seemed Heidemann scored a final touch that put her ahead.

But Shin took issue with the result and appealed, arguing that the clock was out of time. Indeed, video footage of the match seems to indicate the clock did stall.

From the Associated Press:

It was during the third "second" that Heidemann scored the winning point. The South Korean coach started an appeal process that lasted an hour, apparently arguing that the win was scored out of time. All the while, Shin refused to leave the piste as by doing so she would accept defeat.

According to the Guardian, the stand lasted 75 minutes, an hour of which was occupied by the appeal process, while Shin was required to stay on the floor. Eventually, the technical director sided with the German fencer and the ruling was confirmed again the following day.

Shin was eventually escorted from the floor by security after the appeal was denied, only to return minutes later and lose in the bronze medal match.

For video of the controversy, click over to BuzzFeed.

Loading Slideshow

• The Battle

  Canada's Sherraine Schalm faces South Korea's A Lam Shin during a women's individual epee fencing round of 32 match at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

• The Battle Continues

  South Korea's Shin A-lam and Germany's Britta Heidemann compete during a women's individual epee fencing semifinals match against at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

• Got Ya!

  Germany's Britta Heidemann reacts during a women's individual epee fencing semifinals match against South Korea's Shin A-lam at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Morry Gash)

• But Time Was Up!

  South Korea's Shin A-lam waits for a ruling by officials during a women's individual epee fencing semifinals match against Germany's Britta Heidemann at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)

• Oh Come On! No Fair!

  South Korea's Shin A-lam reacts after a women's individual epee fencing semifinals match against Germany's Britta Heidemann at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

• Sad.

  South Korea's Shin A-lam reacts after a women's individual epee fencing semifinals match against Germany's Britta Heidemann at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)

• That Totally Does Count!

  South Korea's Shin A-lam's coach argues with officials after a ruling in a women's individual epee fencing semifinals match against Germany's Britta Heidemann at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

• I'm Not Moving!

  South Korea's Shin A-lam reacts after a women's individual epee fencing semifinals match against Germany's Britta Heidemann at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)

• Woohoo!

  Germany's Britta Heidemann reacts during a women's individual epee fencing semifinals match against South Korea's Shin A-lam at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

• More Sad.

  South Korea's Shin A-lam waits for an appeal to an officials' decision after a women's individual epee fencing semifinals match against Germany's Britta Heidemann at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

• Sadder.

  South Korea's Shin A-lam waits for an appeal to an officials decision after a women's individual epee fencing semifinals match against Germany's Britta Heidemann at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

• Saddest.

  South Korea's Shin A-lam waits for an appeal to an officials decision after a women's individual epee fencing semifinals match against Germany's Britta Heidemann at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

• That's Right!

  Germany's Britta Heidemann reacts after a women's individual epee fencing semifinals match against South Korea's Shin A-lam at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

• Alright, Time To Go.

  Officials lead South Korea's Shin A-lam off the floor after an appeal to an officials decision in a women's individual epee fencing semifinals match against Germany's Britta Heidemann at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)

• No Seriously, Time To Walk.

  Officials lead South Korea's Shin A-lam off the floor after an appeal to an officials decision in a women's individual epee fencing semifinals match against Germany's Britta Heidemann at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)

• There We Go.

  Officials lead South Korea's Shin A-lam off the floor after an appeal to an officials decision in a women's individual epee fencing semifinals match against Germany's Britta Heidemann at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

• No, no. You Can't Go Back.

  Officials lead South Korea's Shin A-lam off the floor after an appeal to an officials decision in a women's individual epee fencing semifinals match against Germany's Britta Heidemann at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

• Sorry It Had To End This Way.

  South Korea's Shin A-lam waits for an appeal to an officials decision after a women's individual epee fencing semifinals match against Germany's Britta Heidemann at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 30, 2012, in London. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

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Comments

[menschenfreund]

11:15 AM on 08/15/2012

What a sad situation at what is supposed to be a world class event. What bothered me as well was what a German television commentator said about the appeal and the (to me) understandable tears of the South Korean fencer: except for water and snot (direct translation) nothing happened. Sportsmanship? Fehlanzeige.

[Sani Wang]

01:34 AM on 08/10/2012

and i thought the Olympics was supposed to be about sportsmanship and the spirit of fair competition......shame on the German team for not standing up for whats right. The 1 second was long over fools......bunch of opportunists.....

[CHS12]

12:40 AM on 08/06/2012

In simpler terms-
1 second: Korea scores.
Nah, won't take it. AGAIN!
1 second: Korea scores.
Nope, still not it. AGAIN!
1 second: Germany scores.
Now that's more like it
GERMANY WIN!

hmm...it really doesn't seem fair to me.
Korean or not, this shouldn't seem fair to anyone with a right mind.
The ignorance is uncanny.
Not my country- not my problem, is how people are reacting right now,
but I don't believe in that crap.
I would have been so upset.
People should not be talking about her crying.
They should be able to see the unfairness of this event.
Blinded people...

[CHS12]

12:23 AM on 08/06/2012

I am absolutely disgusted by the London Olympics.
I'm surprised to see the German fencer gladly accepted the gold
and yelled out at the crowd as if she won fair and square.
How could they?
What was going on behind everyone's backs?
It's so obvious that it was WELL OVER one second.
UGH. so disgusted. Unbelievable.

[Tony Dakota]

02:07 AM on 08/09/2012

This was an ugly moment in sports. The German had the opportunity, I suppose, to concede defeat. If she had done so, it could have been a wonderful olympic moment and in the spirit of good sportsmanship. But, now we see what the German was really made of.

[apple597]

09:14 PM on 08/05/2012

The headline of this article is terrible and should be update to reflect the real issue. The call was wrong and any replay of the event would have verified it. Shame of Huffington Post and shame on the Olympic officials that allowed this to happen.

[chipmunks925]

12:28 AM on 08/04/2012

To people defending this article's title: are you serious?
Is a ridiculous (and fictitious) title such as "President Obama caught regularly taking drugs" on Obama's taking jet-lag medication, highlighting his frequent usage in a vibrant blue font but mentioning offhand its purpose, any different in the way this article highlights "seems to indicate..." and "...75 minutes" as it poorly portrays the content? Yes, she refused to leave the piste. Also, yes, Obama takes drugs. How outrageous. Congratulations on the completely biased portrayals. Really nice captions on your photos by the way; it's great to see that you didn't leave out your immense bias over there.

Theoretical titles aside and bias, as for the issue itself, this is much too devastating to read about as a fellow human being with any goals in life. Whether the judges had chose the German or South Korean fencer, the other country's representative would have thrown just as much of a tantrum. After all, it's the athlete's chance of a lifetime. Nevertheless, the poor coordination and decision unsupported by hard proof by the London Olympic staff is just disappointing. But then again, it wasn't the first time a questionable Olympic judgment was made.

[Skinnylove]

11:15 PM on 08/02/2012

Absolutely horrible journalism. She didn't just refuse to leave the piste for no reason. She was required to sit there as her appeal was processed. What would be the point of appealing and then just leaving the piste? That would have made her appeal moot.

[Matt Claeson]

03:57 PM on 08/02/2012

Ooookay....I have commented before on this and I have to admit, my comments were based on some vague recollections of DISCUSSIONS of rule changes to epee fencing around the time that I stopped refereeing. When I saw everyone talking about the 1 second in overtime, I assumed that that was what the change the FIE had made to eppe fencing. Thankfully, I was wrong, because that would be a stupid rule. It would also explain why I couldn't find anything about a new rule.

Now, about what happened....now that everything makes sense w/regards to my understanding of the rules: yeah, it looks a little strange. The referee is responsible for determining the amount of time left on the clock in the event that something happens (a malfunction or whatever). But, I don't think that happened here. Three actions in one second is not possible. So, yes, if I was in the Korean's shoes, I'd be pissed.

So, I will eat humble pie because my comments were based on an assumption of a rule change that didn't happen. Now I have to watch the bout again. Did this happen at the end of the extra minute? If so, who was assigned priority?

[audibleangel79]

03:02 AM on 08/14/2012

Thank you Matt. For once, someone who actually looked at the footage and realized that the referee was responsible and the Korean fencer got screwed.

[mhnicholson]

11:19 PM on 08/29/2012

Mr. Claeson, fencing bouts have a director, not a referee.

Epee bouts do not count actions. What the lay people are calling action are actually stoppages. By definition no time expires during a stoppage.

The sequence is simple. There is a stoppage where the clock reads 0:01. "Action 1"
Then there is a false start (movement before "allez") and the clock turns to 0:00.
Since no time can expire on a false start, the clock is reset to 0:01. "Action 2"
Finally a valid start happens and almost exactly a second later, the touche is scored.

Priority had not been assigned. Remember that these are Olympic rules, not FIE. I know they are close but they are not the same.

[Jay Yi]

03:04 PM on 08/02/2012

The controversy comes from the clock not working at all when 1 second time was given. Had it been working, the German fencer NEVER would have won. The judge seems to favor the German athlete because everyone knows how short 1 second is, and they were allowed to dual for way more than that. What did we learn? One second could mean minutes in Olympics depending on who the judge is, condition of the clock, and what countries are competing, right? It all amounts to political influence.

[Jacki Nguyen]

02:39 PM on 08/02/2012

I don't think this was a fair ruling, but what's really upsetting is Britta Hiedemann actually excepting the win. Any respectable athlete would of not expect the win or asked for a redo. It's the Olympics! Athletes shouldn't be there winning a metal through technical difficulties, but facing the best of the best athletes in the world. I have been very disappointed with this Olympics games.

[klavezo]

02:08 PM on 08/02/2012

Tell her to defect to North Korea.

[Jay Yi]

03:06 PM on 08/02/2012

The problem isn't with South Korean government, genius.

[audibleangel79]

03:03 AM on 08/14/2012

You can't really be that stupid...

[dillydally4]

01:56 PM on 08/02/2012

Instead of talent we see yutes cheating, quitting, complaining, and failing in record numbers.
Waiter...check please....I want my money back.

[dillydally4]

01:54 PM on 08/02/2012

Simple fence around her.

[antisocialists2012]

01:13 PM on 08/02/2012

These Games have been a disaster.

[RichardAllenRH]

08:39 AM on 08/02/2012

Rules state you MUST stay on the platform till the appeal is over. If she would have left, it would have been seen as her accepting the original ruling. She was cheated. If you worked for years to get to such a world stage only to be robbed because someone screwed up the time keeping, you might just shed a few tears as well.

[latxguy]

01:28 PM on 08/02/2012

yes I agree, one needs to have competed in such to understand what this can do to your emotions.

[Adam Dray]

02:13 PM on 08/02/2012

...but she was still PLAYING despite clock issues, and LOST, so big deal clock paused, doesn't mean squat! Winning by default, isn't winning....at least the match WAS WON finally! How would you feel getting the scoring point just to have some whiney b**ch trying to take it away because she feels SHE was cheated!? I swear, women from south korea in these games need to read a good book about SPORTSMANSHIP!!!! Especially the badmitten people

[Jay Yi]

03:10 PM on 08/02/2012

If this happened during a superbowl and your team lost I am sure you will be saying the same BS.

[OhConservatives]

01:19 PM on 08/04/2012

It is almost unfathomable how unintelligent you are.

Like, I can't even comprehend how you can be so unknowledgeable about this. The time limit should have been up and instead there was a mistake, the match was over when she lost - at least it should have been.

I think you are just looking for an excuse to rag on a woman because of whatever your own obvious insecurities are, because what you just spewed onto this site is devoid of any logic whatsoever.