Attack on Skater Nancy Kerrigan

* To deter future maiming or even murdering of front-running athletes, every sponsoring organization of athletic events should award the prize to the winner other than the injured party on condition that the prize will only be awarded after the guilty parties have been caught. In addition, each organization should make it clear that any beneficiary from this cruel act will be automatically disqualified if he has any close links to the guilty parties whether or not he has ever been cognizant of such acts.

Only by making it clear that we will absolutely not tolerate this type of savage behavior will we be able to forestall the type of tragedy which has befallen figure skater Nancy Kerrigan.

JOHN T. CHIU

Corona del Mar

* When Tonya Harding, a member of our Olympic team, said in reaction to her teammate Nancy Kerrigan, this nation’s beloved skating champion, “I’m going to whip her butt!” the Olympic Committee did not need to wait for her to be implicated in the assault on Kerrigan to ban her from the team.

We support our teams in the Olympics and should not tolerate team members pitting themselves against another. We like to see good, honest, hard-working and gracious competitors on the team we support. If Harding is not going to play as a team member, she simply does not belong.

When a team member is hurt, others on the team should be there for support, especially in light of such a vicious attack. Remarks such as those made by Harding are not American and I refuse to believe that she represents me if she goes out on the ice in Norway next month. Nancy Kerrigan, on the other hand, represents the ideals, strength, and character that I am very proud to have in the person at those glorious games representing me as a proud American.

GREGORY L. FOOTE

Corona

* Of all the articles written about the bizarre and tragic story on Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding, The Times failed to report about the real victim: Michelle Kwan. She earned the right to represent this country in the Olympics. Yet, she was denied the right based on some dubious rationale that Kerrigan could have skated better had she competed.

Michelle Kwan was denied her right because she was young and because Asian Americans do not make waves or protest. The U.S. Figure Skating Assn. discriminated against Michelle Kwan.

Instead of reporting news from Portland or Boston, The Times should report what happens in its own back yard--Torrance--and speak out against the injustice done to Michelle Kwan.

TIM WU

Pomona

* For 2,000 years the Olympics have stood for the ultimate achievement of the non-professional individual and for the epitome of fair play. In our enlightened times they have progressed from state-developed professional athletes to greed-motivated victory at any price. Some progress!

ERIC MARX

Palm Desert