Reynolds Keeps Winning, This Time on the Track : Olympic trials: He easily qualifies for semifinals in the 400 meters. IAAF lifts the threat of sanctions against the other runners.

Butch Reynolds finally stepped out of court and onto the track Tuesday, after a bitter standoff with track and field’s powerful establishment. Reynolds’ efforts in beating opponents were as successful as they had been beating the system, and the 400-meter world record holder easily won two races and advanced to the semifinals of the Olympic track and field trials.

Reynolds’ winning time of 44.58 seconds in the first round was the fastest time of the day. More impressive than his time, however, was Reynolds’ composure amid unprecedented scrutiny. More than 10,000 fans showed up at Tad Gormley Stadium for the first two rounds of the 400 meters, the only event scheduled on what had been a rest day.

Even though the first and second rounds were run five hours apart, Reynolds was consistent. His 44.58 for the first race and 44.68 for the second are the seventh and eighth best times in the world this season and the fastest Reynolds has run since Aug. 12, 1990, the day he tested positive for anabolic steroids.

Reynolds is serving the final two months of a two-year ban and for 21 months has been fighting his suspension by the International Amateur Athletic Federation, the world governing body of track.

His fight has brought upon him the wrath of the sport’s most powerful officials, but Reynolds said he has been vindicated--on the track.

“I didn’t want to run 44s,” Reynolds said. “But with the enthusiasm of the crowd and the adrenaline going, it was uncontrollable.”

But, as has been the case ever since the U.S. Supreme Court ruled last Saturday that Reynolds had the right to run here despite the ban, controversy has been the meet’s biggest star.

As expected, the IAAF announced a compromise early Tuesday morning that lifted the threat of sanctions against the other 400-meter runners. But the IAAF’s strongly worded statement left open the precise meaning of its contents.

The last two paragraphs of the two-page release contained a vague threat that if the U.S. Olympic Committee or The Athletics Congress can’t influence American courts to stay out of sports activities, there would be no track and field athletes in the Atlanta Olympics in 1996.

“If such legislation is not achieved, the Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 and other major amateur sports events in the United States will risk grave damage to their programs and to the athletes’ participation,” the release said.

The IAAF has the authority to prevent the world’s track and field athletes from competing in any competition, including the Olympic Games, although such a scenario seems unlikely.

‘We don’t view it was a threat,” said Billy Payne, chief executive officer of the Atlanta Olympic Organizing Committee. “We have good relations with the IAAF. We fully expect that they will be a magnificent part of the Atlanta Games. The stature of the Games always seems to overcome these intervening problems.”

The USOC has already voiced its concern that the courts don’t begin to select the U.S. Olympic team.

“Recent events give us cause to examine methods to avoid lengthy and expensive court proceedings,” said William Hybl, USOC president.

The day began with yet another meeting of TAC’s beleaguered executive committee, which allowed Reynolds’ agent 10 minutes to address the group. Brad Hunt said he asked the committee what it plans to do if Reynolds makes the U.S. Olympic team.

“I said, ‘What are you going to do to support this athlete, who, through your own process, has been exonerated?’ ” Hunt said.

The top six finishers in Friday’s final will make the team and the 1,600-meter relay team will be chosen from among that group.

Another question is the matter of records. If Reynolds betters his world record of 43.29, will it be ratified? TAC is indefinite. The IAAF would most certainly reject a record by Reynolds, whom they consider to be ineligible. But TAC might accept such a time as an American record. That decision would be made by a TAC committee, but no official was in the mood to answer hypothetical questions Tuesday night.

And while the threat of sanctions against the other runners was lifted, Reynolds still faces possible punitive actions. The IAAF council’s decision included a section that said Reynolds’ “behavior” would be examined at the next council meeting, July 30 at Barcelona.

An IAAF spokeswoman said Tuesday that the council could invoke Rule 53.1.7, which allows the IAAF to sanction “conduct that, in the opinion of the council, is construed to be insulting or improper or likely to bring the sport into disgrace.”

The rule is less than a year old and has never been applied, but the IAAF indicated last week that Reynolds faces a four-year suspension.

Reynolds entered the competition with the sixth-fastest time in the United States, 44.67, which he ran almost two weeks ago.

He arrived at the track escorted by New Orleans police officers and federal agents, whose main role was to help him through the mob of fans and reporters. Reynolds wore a T-shirt that bore the message: Drug Free Body.

He looked commanding in the first round, taking the lead coming off the final turn and cruising to the finish. He crossed the finish line with upraised arms, to the delight of an enthusiastic crowd that took advantage of the day’s free admission.

Harry Reynolds Sr. whistled as his son’s time from the first round was posted on the scoreboard.

“It’s a dream come true,” he said. “But you ain’t seen nothing yet.”