Editing Tonya Harding (section)

=== Response from defense and USFSA ===

[[Phil Knight]], CEO of [[Nike, Inc.|Nike]], donated $25,000 toward Harding's legal fees.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/olympics1998/history/timeline/articles/time_020294a.htm|first=Mark|last=Asher|title=Nike Steps Up With $25,000 for Harding's Defense|newspaper=[[The Washington Post]]|date=February 2, 1994|access-date=July 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725122806/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/sports/longterm/olympics1998/history/timeline/articles/time_020294a.htm|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.newsweek.com/ropes-190372|first=Mark|last=Starr|title=On The Ropes|magazine=[[Newsweek]]|date=February 13, 1994|access-date=July 31, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180801064344/https://www.newsweek.com/ropes-190372|archive-date=August 1, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> She had also made approximately $600,000 from an ''[[Inside Edition]]'' deal.<ref name="learn limits">{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/19/sports/figure-skating-harding-learns-limits-of-a-felon-s-life.html|title=Harding Learns Limits of a Felon's Life|work=[[The New York Times]]|first=Jere|last=Longman|date=March 19, 1994|access-date=July 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725063716/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/19/sports/figure-skating-harding-learns-limits-of-a-felon-s-life.html|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.newsweek.com/deal-tonya-190122|first=J.|last=Adler|title=A Deal For Tonya|magazine=[[Newsweek]]|date=February 20, 1994|access-date=July 25, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725122827/https://www.newsweek.com/deal-tonya-190122|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>

Weaver said the plea agreement was satisfactory to Harding, partly because she avoided prison: "We would have prevailed at trial."<ref name="Longman"/><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/18/sports/figure-skating-harding-plea-bargain-is-called-a-time-saver.html|title=Harding Plea Bargain Is Called a Time-Saver|last=Janofsky|first=Michael|date=March 18, 1994|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=June 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180724215052/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/18/sports/figure-skating-harding-plea-bargain-is-called-a-time-saver.html|archive-date=July 24, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> An executive of the USFSA commented, "[We] don't know if Tonya is innocent or guilty...if [she was involved before] the national championship."<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/17/sports/figure-skating-skating-group-is-angry-kerrigan-is-silent.html|title=Skating Group Is Angry; Kerrigan Is Silent|last=Longman|first=Jere|date=March 17, 1994|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=June 23, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725034931/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/17/sports/figure-skating-skating-group-is-angry-kerrigan-is-silent.html|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref> On March 18, Claire Ferguson decided Harding's disciplinary hearing would proceed in June. The USFSA's executive committee met to discuss Harding seeking reinstatement, and whether they might strip her of the 1994 National Championship title. Neither issue was decided at that time.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/18/sports/figure-skating-skating-association-schedules-hearing-in-june-on-harding.html|title=Skating Association Schedules Hearing in June on Harding|last=Longman|first=Jere|date=March 18, 1994|work=[[The New York Times]]|access-date=June 24, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180725035235/https://www.nytimes.com/1994/03/18/sports/figure-skating-skating-association-schedules-hearing-in-june-on-harding.html|archive-date=July 25, 2018|url-status=live}}</ref>