Blood Doping Among U.S. Olympians Reported

Some U.S. cyclists received controversial “blood doping” transfusions hours before competing in the Los Angeles Olympic Games, according to a team physician who says an official resigned over the issue.

The physician, Dr. Thomas B. Dickson Jr. of Allentown, Pa., said he expressed his opposition to blood doping, which involves transfusions of red blood cells in an attempt to increase endurance, but was ignored.

Dickson told the Allentown Morning Call that Rob Lee, president of the United States Cycling Federation, resigned over the issue. Lee confirmed that he had resigned but refused to say why.

The practice is not against International Olympic Committee rules, but Dickson said “a few” of the cyclists were given someone else’s blood, a practice he characterized as dangerous.

The report apparently originated with Rolling Stone magazine, which will carry a story on the alleged blood doping in its issue to be published Jan. 29. Among the athletes named in the story are gold medalist Steve Hegg, silver medalists Brent Emery, Pat McDonough and Rebecca Twigg, and bronze medalist Leonard (Harvey) Nitz.

Dickson said the procedures were performed by Dr. Herman Falsetti of the University of Iowa, a physician not previously associated with the cycling team. Falsetti’s secretary at the University of Iowa said he was on leave until Jan. 15 and was unavailable for comment. The Buffalo Bills, who had the National Football League’s worst record last season at 2-14, retained head Coach Kay Stephenson.

Five sons of former major leaguers were selected in the two phases of baseball’s winter free agent amateur draft. Todd Stottlemyre and Mel Stottlemyre Jr., sons of former New York Yankee star Mel Stottlemyre, became the first brothers to be selected in the first round of a baseball draft when they were chosen by the St. Louis Cardinals and Houston Astros, respectively, as the first and third picks of the draft’s secondary phase.

Shortstop Craig Repoz, son of former major-league outfielder Roger Repoz; outfielder Scott Jaster, son of former major-league pitcher Larry Jaster, and outfielder Grayron Jackson, son of former major-league pitcher Grant Jackson, also were selected. Names in the News University of Nevada Reno basketball player Curtis High was reinstated to the team, ending a suspension brought on when he was arrested two weeks ago for allegedly beating his girlfriend.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Deane Dana was elected president of the Coliseum Commission for 1985, replacing state Sen. William Campbell (R-Hacienda Heights), whose one-year term expired. Los Angeles City Councilman Gilbert W. Lindsay was elected vice president.

John McEnroe and Martina Navratilova were named the men’s and women’s No. 1-ranked tennis players in the world, respectively, for 1984 by World Tennis magazine.

Cheryl Miller and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were named co-winners of the Southern California Athlete of the Year Award for 1984 by the First Interstate Bank Athletic Foundation.