‘94 WINTER OLYMPICS / Lillehammer : This Time Around, Turner Is Disqualified : Speedskating: American claims the decision is retaliatory. U.S. men win their first short-track medal.

The woman other short-track speedskaters would most love to beat if only they could, the United States’ Cathy Turner, received hate mail from a competitor, but that did not disturb her as much as the even harsher message sent to her Saturday night by International Skating Union judges.

Turner, called “the dirtiest skater in short track” by a competitor, was disqualified in the semifinals of the 1,000 meters, an action she said was retaliation for the controversy she has been involved in since the opening night of the Winter Olympic competition.

For the two-time 500-meter champion, it was the first time in five races since short track became an Olympic sport in 1992 that she has not won a medal.

U.S. men, however, won their first short-track medal Saturday night inside the Olympic Amphitheatre, finishing second to Italy in the 5,000-meter relay with a team that included Eric Flaim. The 1988 runner-up in long track’s 1,500 meters, he became the first person to win medals in both of speedskating’s disciplines. Australia finished third for its first Winter Olympic medal ever.

The silver medal gave the Americans 13 medals, their most ever in the Winter Olympics. They won 12 in 1932 and 1980, both on home ice and snow in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Nevertheless, most of the attention again was focused on the 31-year-old Turner, the former pop singer and Ice Capades headliner who dominates the sport both on an off the ice.

When she won her 500-meter gold medal Thursday night, Chinese officials protested that she interfered in the final with second-place Zhang Yanmei, who was so upset that she refused to pose with Turner on the victory stand.

When Turner read her electronic mail in the athletes’ village the next day, there was a message from an anonymous Canadian that told her to go to a place where the weather even in February is much warmer than Norway. Canadian officials later apologized to Turner.

Two Canadian speedskaters complimented Turner Saturday night, saying that she skated one of her cleanest races in the semifinals and seemed puzzled that she was disqualified.

So was Turner, who was called for a minor brush that she had with Zhang and South Korea’s Kim So-Hee while passing them on a curve midway through the race. South Korea’s Chun Lee-Kyung won the gold medal with a world record time in the final of 1:36.87.

“I feel strongly that the judges were just waiting for me,” Turner said. “I watched the videotape, and I couldn’t believe it. I never did anything wrong tonight.

“I had a great Olympics, and this doesn’t hurt me at all. But what they’re doing here with all of the controversy is really hurting the sport.”

International Olympic Committee President Juan Antonio Samaranch asked the ISU Friday for a report on the numerous protests and disqualifications.

Samaranch was particularly concerned about Zhang’s behavior on the victory stand and the perceived threat of violence against Turner by a competitor. Canadian Nathalie Lambert said Thursday that she hoped Turner would “get what she deserves” in Saturday night’s race. Asked to elaborate, she said, “Something bad.” What Turner got was a disqualification.