Starting Times Called a Cause of Impasse : Many Finals at Seoul Won’t Be Set for Prime Viewing in U.S.

Unusual starting times for the American television audience could be one cause for the impasse between the International Olympic Committee’s television negotiating committee and the three major U.S. networks over the rights to the Seoul Games.

The Associated Press has learned, through IOC sources, the “final tentative schedule” for the Summer Games, to be held Sept. 17-Oct. 2, 1988.

Some modifications to please the networks were included, but many finals are still planned in what will be early-morning hours in the United States.

For example, the women’s 3,000-meter race, the most controversial event of the 1984 Los Angeles Games because of the collision between Mary Decker Slaney and Britain’s Zola Budd, is scheduled to begin at 1:30 a.m. EDT--3:30 p.m. Seoul time--on Sept. 25. Seoul is 14 hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time.

The men’s 400-meter relay, the event in which Carl Lewis of the United States completed his sweep of four gold medals in last year’s Games, starts at 12:35 a.m. EDT--2:35 p.m. Seoul time--on Oct. 1.

The finish of the men’s marathon, which is to coincide with the closing ceremonies, is expected about 3:30 a.m. EDT--5:30 p.m. Seoul time--on Oct. 2.

On the first four days of swimming, Sept. 18-21, the finals will begin at 6 a.m. EDT--8 p.m. Seoul time.

However, on the last two days of swimming, the finals will start at 10 p.m. EDT--noon the following day Seoul time--while on the four days of diving, each session will begin at 8 p.m. EDT--10 a.m. the following day Seoul time.

Among the other major sports, the boxing finals on Oct. 1 are scheduled to start 8 p.m. EDT--10 a.m. the following day Seoul time; the women’s and men’s basketball finals Sept. 29-30, respectively, will start at 10 p.m. EDT--noon the following day Seoul time; and the gymnastics competition will vary, with the men’s and women’s team exercises Sept. 20-21 starting at 5 a.m. EDT--7 p.m. Seoul time--and the men’s and women’s all-around competition Sept. 22-23 starting at 11 p.m. EDT--1 p.m. the following day Seoul time.