Swift Move by USA Track and Field

The International Amateur Athletic Federation, which is not always so swift, even though it governs track, made a wise decision in changing the schedule for the Summer Olympics so that Michael Johnson can try to become the first man to win gold medals in the 200 and 400 meters in the same Games.

But it might not have happened if not for a tactical move by USA Track and Field.

Primo Nebiolo, the IAAF’s Italian president, was not enthusiastic about the change, saying it would set a bad precedent and cause other problems with the schedule. He might have opposed it if it had been proposed by USATF, which has a running feud with Nebiolo.

Fearing that, USATF appealed to the Puerto Rican member of the IAAF Council, Amadeo Francis, to submit the proposal. As a result, Nebiolo could not oppose it because his power in the IAAF comes from the small members, such as Puerto Rico.

The IAAF also changed the schedule so that Carl Lewis can compete in the 100, 200 and long jump, as he did en route to four gold medals in Los Angeles in 1984. That move was motivated by respect for a great champion, not by his superiority on the track. Lewis, who will turn 35 on July 1, may not even earn a berth in the sprints in June’s Olympic trials. In his season debut in the 100 two weeks ago in Houston, he ran 10.26 and did not qualify for the final.

He does, however, have a chance in the long jump, in which he is still considered the second-best American behind Mike Powell. Lewis could even contend for a gold medal in Atlanta, particularly in light of last week’s news that Cuba’s Ivan Pedroso, ranked first in the world last year, might not compete in the Games because of recent surgery on a torn thigh muscle.

Footnote: Nebiolo was not entirely wrong in his position. Four days after the announcement, the IAAF had to make another revision in the schedule. The previous change had made it impossible for Mozambique’s Maria Mutola and Great Britain’s Kelly Holmes to run in both the 800 and 1500.

FACTOID

More than 2 million visitors--an average of 150,000 a day--are expected to visit Atlanta during the Games July 19-Aug. 4.

NEWSMAKER

Muhammad Ali, George Foreman, Sugar Ray Leonard and Oscar De La Hoya are among boxers who have won Olympic gold medals and graduated to greatness in their sport. The next one to join them might be Antonio Tarver, a light-heavyweight from Orlando, Fla. He begins the U.S. Olympic trials Wednesday in Oakland as the only American to have won national, world and Pan American Games titles in the same year.

He did that in 1995, establishing himself as the gold-medal favorite in his weight class for the Olympics. He is the only U.S. boxer expected to win in a sport that, as usual, will be dominated by Cubans. But Cuba’s best light-heavyweight, Diosvany Vega, has been little competition, losing to Tarver three times last year.

At 27, Tarver is older than most U.S. amateurs. He boxed when he was younger but quit when he started high school to concentrate on other sports. But when no college scholarships materialized, he felt directionless until he watched on television as one of his former ring opponents, Roy Jones Jr., fought for the gold medal in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

“If he can do that, why can’t I?” Tarver asked.

LAUREL WREATH

Country singer Garth Brooks donated $1 million to Olympic-AID Atlanta, a partnership between UNICEF and the Atlanta Olympic organizing committee to help children in war-torn nations.

THORN WREATH

Without evidence, former middle-distance runner Brigitte Kraus of Germany cast doubt on the two indoor world records set in the 1,000 meters this year by Mutola, implying that the extraordinary runner from Mozambique used drugs.

THIS WEEK

Twenty-five U.S. track and field athletes will compete Saturday in Panathenean Stadium in Athens in a reenactment of the first Modern Olympics 100 years ago.

Olympic Scene Notes

“Wheel of Fortune,” an official Olympic game show--seriously--taped one of its special editions for the last week of the Games in Atlanta. The contestants were Bart Conner, John Naber, Mark Spitz, Evelyn Ashford, Dan Jansen, Bonnie Blair, Mike Eruzione, Pam Shriver and Bill Toomey. “My money’s on John Naber,” Conner, a former gymnast, said, before the taping, of the former swimmer. “He’s one of those guys who does a crossword puzzle with a magic marker.”

Shannon Miller, two-time world all-around champion, might compete in the U.S.-France dual gymnastics meet Saturday in Miami. She has not competed since last fall because of a foot injury. Also competing for the first time this year is Amanda Borden, a three-time world-championship team member who also has been injured. . . . Bob Ctvrtlik of Long Beach was named to the international volleyball federation’s six-man all-star team for 1995. Perhaps he should be on “Wheel of Fortune.” His nickname is “Buy a Vowel.”

In 1988, 24 Americans who later won Olympic track and field medals that year competed in the Mt. SAC Relays. In 1992, the number was 19. But meet director Dan Shrum said last week that he expects even higher quality for this year’s invitational on April 21. . . . After training in Italy in recent years, Jamaican Merlene Ottey, world 200-meter champion, has returned to her home in West Covina and is training at Mt. SAC.

In the third of six qualifying events on March 23 in Austin, Texas, for the U.S. archery team, the winners were Butch Johnson for the men and Lindsay Langston for the women. The fourth event scheduled for the next day was postponed because of bad weather until next Saturday in Fayetteville, Ga. Johnson and Janet Dykman lead the standings. Dykman is from El Monte. . . . So is Kim Rhode, 16, who has a chance to become the youngest shotgun competitor on the U.S. shooting team. Trials in shotgun and rifle are taking place this week in Atlanta. . . . Rebecca Howard of Littleton, Colo., has been elected the first woman president of USA Volleyball. Her term begins after the Olympics.

Times staff writer Maryann Hudson contributed to this story.