Carl Lewis Says He Will Boycott TAC Championships

Carl Lewis and fellow Olympic gold medalist Joe DeLoach say they will boycott the national outdoor track and field championships because they are disgruntled with The Athletics Congress, the sport’s governing body in the United States.

“We cannot continue to be put in this position because the TAC is killing track in America,” Lewis, a six-time Olympic gold-medal winner, told the Associated Press Thursday in Houston, site of the TAC meet June 15-17.

“They are holding back funds . . . and making it very difficult for athletes to compete here,” he said.

Lewis said TAC should pay the top 10 athletes in every event, instead of paying only about 10 to 15 athletes overall, as is done now.

Pete Cava, a spokesman for TAC, confirmed that Lewis and DeLoach, the Olympic 200-meter gold medalist, would not compete in the national championships.

By not competing, the boycotters will not be able to qualify for the World Cup competition scheduled in September in Barcelona, Spain.