USOC ‘Slush Fund’ Reported

The Salt Lake City Olympic scandal might stem from a foreign exchange program established by the U.S. Olympic Committee in the 1980s, the Salt Lake Tribune reported Sunday.

The programs bought sports equipment and helped train athletes in developing nations.

USOC officials, the newspaper said, took financial liberties with the program by wiring funds to foreign accounts, shopping with international guests on per-diem expenses, reimbursing travel costs with cash and keeping sloppy records.

Former USOC treasurer Howard Miller called the programs a “slush fund.” As far back as 1988, he accused USOC officers of “paying off IOC members” under the guise of travel reimbursements.

Miller’s account is supported by an internal investigation by the USOC’s legal firm, Hogan & Hartson. The investigation was initiated last December when it was discovered Salt Lake boosters had paid for IOC members’ children to attend U.S. colleges.

The report was made public in October, after congressional committees demanded the USOC release it.

More than $1 million in aid was distributed from 1989 to 1995, and that is only what attorneys could document, the Tribune reported.

Current USOC officials would not comment on Hogan & Hartson’s investigation.

Miller was the USOC treasurer from 1984 to 1988. Near the end of his term, he accused then-president Robert Helmick and Alfredo La Mont, then director of the USOC international relations, of giving $80,000 in cash to IOC members in exchange for votes.

Helmick and La Mont both denied to investigators they bought votes.

Baseball

First baseman David Segui and pitcher Rudy Seanez accepted salary arbitration offers from their former teams and outfielder Gerald Williams agreed to a $5.75 million, two-year contract with Tampa Bay.

Williams was among 12 players rejecting salary arbitration offers in the hours before Sunday’s deadline, a group that included pitchers Aaron Sele, Juan Guzman and Arthur Rhodes.

Also rejecting were pitchers Norm Charlton, Chris Haney, Graeme Lloyd, Omar Olivares, Darren Oliver and Steve Trachsel, along with outfielders Shawon Dunston, Thomas Howard and Williams.

Free agents accepting arbitration are considered signed, those rejecting it can negotiate with their former teams through Jan. 8.

Segui, 33, goes back to the Toronto and Seanez, a 31-year-old right-hander, returns to Atlanta, where Williams also played last season. Williams, a 33-year-old outfielder, became the Braves’ leadoff hitter during the final two months of the season. Atlanta went 39-14 with him at the top of the order.

Winter Sports

Michelle Kwan, Sarah Hughes and Michael Weiss turned in near-flawless routines, leading the United States to a 10-8 victory over the World Team at the USA vs. the World Figure Skating Challenge at Kennewick, Wash. . . . Russia’s women and Norway’s men won World Cup cross-country relay races at Davos, Switzerland. . . . Vladimir Dratchev of Russia won the men’s 15-kilometer biathlon World Cup event at Pokljuka, Slovenia by 10.7 seconds over Vadim Sashurin of Belarus. Andrea Henkel of Germany won the women’s 12.5-kilometer event in 42:01.9, one second ahead of Svetlana Ichmouratova of Russia.

The Switzerland I team turned in start and track records in winning a World Cup four-man bobsled event at Koenigsee, Germany. Switzerland I led after the first heat, then set the start record with a 5.60-second push in the second heat, finishing with a track record of 47.27. Their aggregate time was 1:34.67, faster than a German team by 0.01. . . . Yevgeny Petrochinin’s third-period goal gave first-place Russia a 1-1 tie with the Czech Republic in the Baltika Cup hockey tournament at Moscow, keeping Russia one point ahead of the Czech Republic.

Joel Chenal of France defeated favorite Hermann Maier of Austria in a giant slalom at Alta Badia, Italy. Chenal, who had never finished better than fifth before Sunday, was timed in 2:39.68 for two runs. Maier, who has won five times this season, finished second in 2:39.76. . . . Italy’s Karen Putzer won the super-G race at St. Moritz, Switzerland, for her first career World Cup triumph. Putzer charged down the course in 1:27.37, defeating teammate Alessandra Merlin, second in 1:27.53.

Germany’s Martin Schmitt won his second World Cup ski-jumping event in two days, soaring 126.5 meters on his second attempt to defeat Jann Ahonen of Finland by 7.4 points at Zakopane, Poland. . . . Jennifer Rodriguez won her third race at the U.S. Allround Speedskating Championships, winning the 3,000-meter race at West Allis, Wis., by nearly 13 seconds with a time of 4:21.81. Her fiancee, KC Boutiette, won the men’s 5,000 meters at 6:49.89, 0.29 seconds ahead of Derek Parra.

Miscellany

The Big Ten edged out the Southeastern Conference by just more than $1 million for most money made in 1997-98, generating $75.9 million in revenue, the Birmingham (Ala.) News reported. But SEC Commissioner Roy Kramer took home the highest compensation at $386,563.

Three-time world boxing champion Julio Cesar Chavez stopped Buck Smith in the third round of a super lightweight fight Saturday night at Culiacan, Mexico. Chavez, 37, is 103-4-2. . . . Leeds took over first place in England by two points over Manchester United with a 2-0 victory at Chelsea on Stephen McPhail’s first two Premier League goals. In Italy, Lazio stayed in first by two points ahead of Juventus with a 2-0 victory over Piacenza.