Lewis Claims U.S. Track Overlooks Drug Issue

Carl Lewis assailed American track and field authorities on Wednesday, contending they ignore and sometimes shield athletes who take performance-enhancing drugs.

“There’s no question in my mind that they have more knowledge about the drug problem than they are telling the public,” Lewis said in a telephone hookup from Houston. “In some cases, they have overlooked and even tried to protect the athletes.

Lewis, winner of nine gold medals at four Olympics, spoke in the wake of disclosures that distance runner Mary Slaney, a four-time Olympian and owner of several U.S. records, was under investigation for excessive levels of testosterone in a test at the Olympic trials in Atlanta last June.

There have been reports in Europe this week that U.S. 400-meter hurdler Sandra Farmer-Patrick also tested positive for testosterone during the trials and has been suspended for four years.

The U.S. Olympic Committee has denied that Farmer-Patrick tested positive for drugs at the trials.

USA Track & Field said it would make no comment on any drug test case until all administrative remedies were exhausted.

Organizers of the 2000 Sydney Olympics received approval of their new budget from the IOC.

The budget forecasts spending of $1.785 billion and revenues of $1.818 billion, leaving a surplus of $33.3 million.

Meanwhile, the impasse continued over the men’s downhill skiing course for next year’s Nagano Games.

The director general of the organizing committee, Makoto Kobayshi, said the starting point will remain at 5,493 feet. That means the length will be less than 1.86 miles, making it the the shortest men’s Olympic downhill in recent times.

After a 10-month wait, sprinters Michael Johnson and Donovan Bailey finally have their names in the record book.

The International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) formally ratified the world records set by the two at last summer’s Olympics - Johnson’s 19.32 seconds in the 200 meters and Bailey’s 9.84 in the 100.

Primo Nebiolo, 73, president of the IAAF, was re-elected for another four-year term as president of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF).