Cycling lawsuit a matter of definitions

A pivotal point in the lawsuit filed by a former junior cyclist against USA Cycling and a former coach appears to swing on the matter of the coach's dismissal.

Greg Strock's suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Denver a week ago, claims that his former coach, Rene Wenzel, injected him with steroids and that USA Cycling knew about it and fired Wenzel because of it.

Cycling officials will confirm only that Wenzel was terminated but won't give a reason. Bill Senter, a Denver lawyer representing USA Cycling, says only that the matter will be cleared up in court.

Strock's suit hangs its contention that USA Cycling fired Wenzel for doping on a quote from Dr. David Joyner, the vice chairman of the USOC anti-doping commitee.

Speaking on a CBS News show in September, Joyner said, "virtually immediately upon knowledge of the national governing body, they fired this coach and (he) was released immediately when this action and these actions that this coach were doing were brought to their attention."

Joyner has not returned phone calls seeking comment. The defendants will certainly claim that Joyner was mistaken.

Wenzel's attorney, Reid Kelly of Pagosa Springs, said Wenzel was not fired but "laid off" in a "downsizing" by USA Cycling. Kelly was so miffed over the word "fired" that he refuses to speak further with The Gazette.

A GREEK REVIVAL: USOC president Bill Hybl returned from a site inspection visit of Athens on Saturday and said he was impressed with the strides since the coordination commission's last visit in April.

"The turnaround not only in achievement but in commitment is truly gratifying," Hybl said.

The Greek organizing committee, with the threat of having the Games moved hanging over their heads, has spent the last seven months in furious activity. Construction deadlines have been moved up, the country's prime minister took over as chairman of the working committee and deals have been struck with other countries to help with security.

"I'd say at this point, without something unforseen happening, the Games will be in Athens," Hybl said. "They have taken this very seriously. As the home of the ancient Games and the modern Games, it has become a matter of national pride."

Hybl gave a lot of the credit to Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki, the woman who headed Athens' winning bid for the Games and who was rehired by the prime minister to take over the organizing committee this summer.

Still, the coordination commission did not let Athens completely off the hook. It has a series of construction deadlines to meet in 2001 and if the Greek organizers don't meet them, the threat of moving the Games to Los Angeles or Seoul, Korea, could resurface.

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING: A poorly written memo from USOC accountants Arthur Andersen started a rumor a few months ago that retired executive director Dick Schultz would receive a hefty "golden parachute" that could threaten the USOC's tax-exempt status.

Schultz is scheduled to receive $587,000 at the end of this year, but the deal isn't a buyout or a bonus. Schultz deferred part of his $600,000 salary each year while he was employed by the USOC and he will be paid the deferred amount in January.

USOC chief counsel Mark Muedeking said IRS section 457 allows deferring of compensation, which isn't taxed until received. He also said the accountant's imprecise memo is what led to the confusion, which was blown into a major story by the Salt Lake Tribune.

"There is no unreasonable compensation," Muedeking said. "There is no possible way our tax-exempt status could be jeopardized."

Arthur Anderson has since written a letter to the USOC clearing up any ambiguity.

MOVING UP: Anne Patrice McDonough, 15, of Colorado Springs is headed for her first year of competition on the senior ladies level of figure skating. She won the Midwestern Sectional Championships last week in Wichita, Kan., which qualified her for the U.S. Championships in Boston on Jan. 13-21.

Before that, however, McDonough will try for a last moment of glory as a junior skater. She will compete at the International Skating Union Junior Granx Prix Final in Ayr, Scotland, on Dec. 12- 16.

Among the U.S. men skating in Scotland will be Ryan Bradley of Colorado Springs.

Roses for 800?

A group of Olympians and Paralympians are tacking on a goodwill mission to their White House visit Wednesday. They will visit the Ronald McDonald House and the Children's National Medical Center on Tuesday.

The Rose Garden visit will be the largest Olympic team visit ever: more than 740 athletes, including Maurice Greene, Lenny Krayzelburg, Stacy Dragila, Tara Nott and Lance Armstrong. The group will number more than 800, including coaches and USOC leaders. The notable absentees: Marion Jones, Jenny Thompson and Rulon Gardner.

Copyright 2000
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.