From: johnr@col.hp.com (John T. Rasper)
Newsgroups: rec.sport.olympics
Subject: USOC update - 15-18 Dec1992 (187 lines)
Date: 21 Dec 1992 15:55:32 GMT
Organization: HP Colorado Springs Division
NNTP-Posting-Host: hplsdvf.col.hp.com

Professional cyclists now eligible for Olympics
     The International Cycling Union and the International Olympic
Committee announced Thursday in Lausanne, Switzerland, that
professional cyclists will be eligible for the 1996 Olympic Games
in Atlanta. The number of cyclists will remain about the same, but
each country will be able to enter up to five athletes, as opposed
to the current limit of three. Stories moved on UPI on December 17.

Chattanooga named site of World Cup of Freestyle Wrestling
     The World Cup of Freestyle Wrestling, one of the most
important Olympic level wrestling events of the year, will be
hosted in Chattanooga, Tenn. on April 3-4. The event will be held
at the Maclellan Gym on the campus of the University of Tennessee
at Chattanooga. The top wrestling nations from each continent have
been invited to compete in the 1993 Freestyle World Cup. Squads
from the United States, Russia, Iran, Cuba, Canada and Nigeria have
been extended invitations to this annual dual meet event. A team
champion will be determined based upon the results of the dual meet
competition. For more information, contact Gary Abbott, USA
Wrestling, (719) 597-8333.

Moscow club hockey team ties USA Selects
     Moscow Spartak got a goal from Alexander Selivanov with 1.3
seconds left to give the Russian hockey club a 2-2 tie with the USA
Selects Thursday night in Lake Placid. The U.S. jumped out to a 2-0
lead on goals by Bowling Green's Brian Holzinger and Boston
College's Marc Beran. The two teams play again Sunday night in
Albany, N.Y. Story moved on AP on December 17.

Yamaguchi, Wylie win Challenge of Champions
     1992 Olympic medalists Kristi Yamaguchi and Paul Wylie each
won the Challenge of Champions professional figure skating
competition in Inglewood, Calif. Wylie beat 1988 Olympic champion
Brian Boitano, who lost his first professional competition. Stories
moved on AP on December 18.

Gumbel to host Lillehammer prime time
     CBS Sports announced that Greg Gumbel will be its prime time
host for the 1994 Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer. Story moved
in AP Sports Briefs on December 18.
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Thursday, December 17, 1992

Shimer second in World Cup
     Brian Shimer suffered his first defeat of the season in four-
man bobsled competition, finishing .01 seconds behind Germany's
Wolfgang Hoppe. Shimer had started the season with three straight
wins in four-man competition. Stories moved on AP on December 17.

Lindh has top training time
     Olympic silver medalist Hilary Lindh had the top training run
in preparations for Saturday's downhill World Cup in Lake Louise,
Alberta, Canada. Stories moved on UPI and Reuters on December 16.

Boitano calls story "ridiculous"
     1988 Olympic gold medalist Brian Boitano called the recent
story in the Calgary Herald about the wide-spread cases of AIDS
among male figure skaters as a "ridiculous" and a "joke." "I don't
know anyone in skating from the United States who is HIV positive,
I really don't," Boitano said. Story moved on AP on December 17.

AP continues year-end series
     The Associated Press continued its series with year-end
wrapups for track and field and sports television. Stories moved on
AP on December 16.

Reuters starts year-end series
     Reuters started its year-end series with stories on the
Olympic Family and the U.S. taking the center stage in the sports
world in the year 1992. Stories moved on December 16.
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Wednesday, December 16, 1992

IOC Program Commission approves golf proposal
     The IOC Program Commission, meeting in Lausanne, unanimously
agreed to forward the application of the World Amateur Golf
Association on to the IOC Executive Board in March. The application
is for the inclusion of golf in the 1996 Olympic Games. The subject
of the controversial Augusta National Golf Club was not raised by
the Program Commission. Stories moved on AP and Reuters on December
15.

Whitewater to be included in 1996
     Tennessee governor Ned McWherter announced Tuesday that
whitewater canoeing will be part of the 1996 Olympic Games program
and will be competed on the Ocoee River in Tennessee. McWherter
said he was notified by Billy Payne, who was in Lausanne for the
IOC Program Commission meeting. For more information, contact Ken
Renner in the Governor's office at (615) 741-3783, or Craig Bohnert
with the U.S. Canoe and Kayak Team at (317) 237-5690.

Shimer featured
     Brian Shimer, who has established himself as the world's top
four-man bobsled driver, shoots for his fourth straight World Cup
victory today in La Plagne. Shimer credits having the push team
with him all season for his success, which has been a bright spot
for the financially troubled U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation.
Stories moved on AP on December 15 and in USA Today on December 16.

Boitano 95 percent sure about Lillehammer
     1988 Olympic champion Brian Boitano is about "95 percent" sure
that he will compete for the U.S. at the 1994 Olympic Winter Games
in Lillehammer, Norway. Boitano would have to apply for
reinstatement as an amateur, but feels that he will do that.
Boitano is competing this week in the professional Challenge of
Champions. Story moved on AP on December 15 and in USA Today on
December 16.

Soccer asks 20 to form World Cup nucleus
     The U.S. Soccer Federation has asked 20 players to move to
Mission Viejo, Calif., to begin full-time training for the 1994
World Cup. The group is expected to begin training in mid-January
and will be supplemented for key matches in 1993 by U.S. players
playing abroad. Story moved on AP on December 15. For more
information, contact John Polis or Dean Linke at U.S. Soccer at
(312) 808-9555.

Pound says no hurry on '96 TV negotiations
     IOC vice president Dick Pound said he is in no hurry to
negotiate the U.S. television rights for the 1996 Olympic Games.
Pound says he doesn't anticipate anything before the second quarter
of 1993 and says that the $350 million (without cable) figure that
the U.S. networks are talking about is too low. Note appeared in TV
Sports column in USA Today on December 16.

USA Track and Field signs agreement with TWI
     USA Track and Field has signed a two-year agreement to
television track and field meets with Trans World International.
Note appeared in USA Today on December 16.

Olympics head year-end wrapup
     The Associated Press began its annual year-end package and the
Olympics tops the overall story. The story moved on December 15.
Another year-end story was on professional basketball, which
focused on the "Dream Team."

Ashe honored by Sports Illustrated
     Arthur Ashe was named Sportsman of the Year by Sports
Illustrated for his lifetime achievements, both on the tennis court
and off. Ashe has overcome both heart disease and the announcement
earlier this year that he is suffering from AIDS. Ashe is a public
sector member of the USOC Board of Directors. Story moved on
Reuters on December 15.

Christie upset at Australia
     Olympic 100-meter champion Linford Christie of Great Britain
is upset after being asked to pay 55 pounds for a special visa to
compete in Australia. Christie and hurdler Colin Jackson are
preparing to go to Australia for three months of training. Story
moved on Reuters on December 15.

Russian athletics chief wants to wait
     Valentin Balakhnichov, president of the Russian Athletics
Federation, said he would wait for test results before making any
decisions on the four athletes recently expelled from Sweden. The
four were asked to leave Sweden with two trainers after anabolic
steroids were found in one of the trainer's bags. Story moved on
Reuters on December 15.
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Tuesday, December 15, 1992

Russians ordered out of Sweden
     Four Russian athletes and two trainers have been asked to
leave Sweden after anabolic steroids were found in the suitcase of
one of the trainers. The four athletes were in Sweden training for
an indoor track and field meet in February. The meet, featuring 30
Russian athletes, has been called off. Story moved on Reuters on
December 15.

Bianchi wins World Cup, edging Tomba
     Frenchman Patrice Bianchi edged out Olympic champion and local
favorite Alberto Tomba at the World Cup slalom at Madonna Di
Campiglio, Italy on Tuesday. Stories and results moved on Reuters
on December 15.

University of Oregon punished for decathlete
     The University of Oregon has been reprimanded for using
decathlete Pedro daSilva, who was not eligible last season under
NCAA standards. DaSilva won his third consecutive NCAA decathlon
title, then went on to compete for Brazil in the 1992 Olympic
Games. Story moved on AP on December 15.