NOTEBOOK : Even Samaranch Wouldn’t Separate Kerrigan, Harding

The U.S. Olympic Committee took its battle to separate figure skaters Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding from each other in practices during the Winter Olympics all the way to the top, to Juan Antonio Samaranch, president of the International Olympic Committee.

USOC Executive Director Harvey Schiller met Monday night with Samaranch, just before the latter left on a goodwill mission to Sarajevo, to explain the USOC’s position, which is that skating together in practice will make it difficult for both women to concentrate.

Samaranch referred the matter to the IOC’s coordination commission, which decided that it would not overrule the International Skating Union’s decision to leave Harding and Kerrigan in the same practice group.

“It’s an American problem,” IOC spokesman Andrew Napier said.

Harding is expected to arrive here today but probably will not practice until Thursday, when she is scheduled for two sessions.

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In Thursday night’s technical program that opens the men’s figure skating competition, the United States’ Brian Boitano will be the first of 25 contestants to perform.

That is considered the worst position possible because judges usually underscore skaters who perform early, reserving higher scores in case they see others they like better later in the program.

Because Boitano, the 1988 gold medalist, did not compete in last year’s World Championships, he was not seeded for the Olympics. As a result, he was included in the lowest classification. Facing the same predicament was Ukrainian Viktor Petrenko, the 1992 gold medalist. He drew the fifth starting position.

“This competition is about how you skate, not when you skate,” said Boitano’s coach, Linda Leaver.