Organizer for Athens Olympics Asks Samaranch to End Sniping

The chief organizer for the 2004 Athens Olympics has written to Juan Antonio Samaranch, complaining that top IOC executives are undermining preparations for the Games.

Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki sent a letter to the IOC president, asking the IOC to unite behind Greek efforts, local officials said Friday.

The unidentified officials would not reveal the contents of the three-page letter that also was sent to Greek ministers. The letter was not made public by 2004 organizers, and they said they do not have a copy themselves. IOC officials refused to comment, calling the letter personal correspondence.

Angelopoulos-Daskalaki reportedly asked Samaranch to stop senior IOC officials from making negative statements about Athens, including hints about moving the Games because of problems and delays.

Tennis

Anna Kournikova defeated Magdalena Maleeva, 6-4, 7-5, to reach the semifinals of the Sparkassen Cup at Leipzig, Germany.

Kournikova next plays Kim Clijsters, who fought off a match point and beat Jelena Dokic, 4-6, 6-2, 7-6 (4), to reach the semis. In the other semifinal, Elena Likhovetsva will play top-seeded Nathalie Tauziat.

Yevgeny Kafelnikov rallied past Sjeng Schalken, 4-6, 6-1, 6-4, to advance to the semifinals in the Stuttgart Masters Series in Germany.

The sixth-seeded Russian will next play No. 8 Lleyton Hewitt, who ousted Greg Rusedski of Britain, 6-4, 6-4. In the other quarterfinals, Sebastien Grosjean downed Michael Chang, 7-5, 1-6, 6-2, and Wayne Ferreira beat Andrei Pavel, 6-0, 7-5.

Top-seeded Jennifer Capriati advanced to the semifinals of the Bell Challenge at Quebec, beating Canada’s Sonya Jeyaseelan, 7-5, 6-0. Capriati will play fourth-seeded Amy Frazier, a 6-2, 6-2 winner over Venezuela’s Maria Alejandra Vento.

Miscellany

Rusty Wallace, driving a Penske Racing Ford Taurus, won his Winston Cup series-leading ninth pole of the season in the opening round of qualifying for the Checker Auto Parts-Dura Lube 500 at Avondale, Ariz.

Matt Crafton won the Featherlite Southwest Series championship, while Garrett Evans won the Albertsons/Osco 125 at Phoenix International Raceway.

Crafton won the title after leading the first 75 laps, but finished 24th because of a broken differential.

International cycling authorities plan to destroy urine samples taken from Tour de France riders unless a reliable test for the banned hormone EPO is approved by Nov. 15. . . . Russia’s Irina Slutskaya topped American Michelle Kwan in the women’s short program in Skate Canada International at Mississauga, Canada.

Names in the news

Former San Francisco 49er star John Brodie was moved to a rehabilitation center, and his wife is “really optimistic” about his recovery from a stroke.

The 65-year-old ex-quarterback left Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage two days ago. Sue Brodie, his wife, declined to say where her husband had been transferred.

Washington State men’s basketball signee Tommy Johnson, last season’s City Section player of the year from Crenshaw High, failed to meet initial NCAA eligibility requirements and won’t play this season, Coach Paul Graham announced.

Brad Friedel, goalkeeper on the U.S. national soccer team, received a work permit from Britain’s Department of Education and Employment, allowing the former UCLA player to continue playing in the English Premier League through June 2003. Friedel will join the Blackburn Rovers next week.

Defender Francis Okaroh was the first selection in Major League Soccer’s annual waiver draft, and then was traded by the San Jose Earthquakes to the New York-New Jersey MetroStars.

The only other players selected were Steve Armas by the Tampa Bay Mutiny and Seth George, who played with the Galaxy the last two seasons, by the Chicago Fire.

South Carolina right-hander Kip Bouknight won the Golden Spikes award as the nation’s top amateur baseball player. . . . University of Hawaii baseball Coach Les Murakami had a stroke and is in critical condition.

Bobby Goldwater, in charge of bringing events to Staples Center, is leaving L.A. Arena Co., to become president of the Washington Sports & Entertainment Commission.

Dodger catcher Chad Kreuter will host a sports memorabilia auction and dinner tonight at the Renaissance Esmeralda Resort in Indian Wells. Tickets for the event, which will benefit Christian School of the Desert, are $75 and can be purchased by phone: (760) 345-2848.