Reynolds Won’t Go Along for Ride

The United States Olympic Committee has ruled out naming banned track star Butch Reynolds as a team official to allow him to march in the opening ceremony at the Barcelona Games.

A spokesman for the Barcelona organizers confirmed Saturday that the 400-meter world record-holder could take part in the July 25 ceremony if the U.S. team lists him as an official.

“He said if,” responded Robert Condron, press operations director for the U.S. team. “We haven’t. His name was submitted as an athlete. We would not fly him over here unless he could run.

“He will not be brought over until the IAAF and the International Olympic Committee reverse their ruling,” he said. “He’s not going to be on the plane . . . he will not fly on our charter unless he is eligible.”

The IAAF, track and field’s world governing body, banned Reynolds from competing for two years in 1990 for testing positive for an anabolic steroid. The ban ends on Aug. 12.

Reynolds, who denies he took steroids, won a U.S. court decision allowing him to compete in the U.S. Olympic trials last month. He finished fifth in the 400 meters, earning a spot as an alternate on the 1,600-meter relay team.