Olympics

Wayne Gretzky will lead Canada’s hockey team at the 2002 Winter Olympics. He will be the executive director of the team for the Salt Lake City Games, with Toronto Coach and General Manager Pat Quinn the coach.

Edmonton Oiler General Manager Kevin Lowe will be the assistant executive director. Quinn’s assistants will be Jacques Martin of the Ottawa Senators, Ken Hitchcock of the Dallas Stars and Wayne Fleming, coach of the Canadian national team program.

Showing pictures of bulldozers tearing up earth, Greek officials promised to make “the impossible, possible” and build the Olympic village in time for the 2004 Games. As 2004 chief Gianna Angelopoulos-Daskalaki unveiled architectural plans in Athens for the village that will house 17,300 athletes and officials, environmental groups renewed calls for Olympic officials to move the key rowing venue.

The head of security for the Salt Lake City Games plans to ask the nation’s police chiefs to commit up to 1,000 officers to help ensure safety during the Olympics. . . . Utah Gov. Mike Leavitt has refunded a $2,000 political contribution from Olympic organizers that jeopardized the nonprofit status of the Salt Lake Organizing Committee.

Miscellany

Mark Gorski, head of the U.S. Postal Service cycling team, said he is “absolutely convinced” Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong and the rest of his riders abided by anti-doping rules. French judicial sources said Tuesday that the prosecutor’s office opened a preliminary investigation Oct. 18 into possible doping by the Postal Service following an anonymous tip.

Former NFL players Jim Brown, Dick Bass and Vince Evans are among those participating in a charity golf tournament benefiting the Watts/Willowbrook Boys and Girls Club on Monday at the California Country Club in Whittier. Information: (323) 567-2278.

A memorial service for former TV and drag racing announcer Steve Evans will be held today at the Pomona Fairplex following qualifying for the NHRA Auto Club Finals. The services, open to the public, will be at 6:30 p.m. in the Racers for Christ tent.