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Springs' chances dim for hosting festivalBy CHRIS JENKINS GT Sports WriterThe staging of an international amateur sports festival as an alternative for American athletes not participating in the 1980 Summer Olympic Games is a definite possibility, but Colorado Springs should not be plan on hosting such an event.According to F. Don Miller, executive director of the U.S. Olympic Committee, an event of that stature probably would be too large for Colorado Springs to handle.“Because of increased logistical requirements and the needs of the media, and because housing wouldbecome such a hypercritical requirement, I would think (an international festival) would have to be directed to a larger metropolitan area,” Miller said Friday.Colorado Springs served as host city for both National Sports Festivals I and II. Officials of the local organizing committee had hoped to land the alternative competition should the U.S. boycott the Moscow Games as directed by President Carter. One official said last week, however, Colorado Springs’ chances were slim.“I would give that same assessment — that it’s not too like* ly,” Miller said. ‘‘I would give thesame assessment to having a National Sports Festival (this summer) . The only way I see a National Sports Festival is if we were the only country that doesn’t go to the (Moscow) Games, and that’s becoming more likely every day.”Indeed, 105 countries have announced intentions of participating in Moscow while only six, none of them major powers in either politics or athletics, have declined to enter the Summer Olympics. Earlier this week, Great Britain’s national Olympic committee defied governmental wishes and voted to accept the Olympic invitation.“The British Olympic Committeeshowed a lot of courage, Miller said. But you must understand, when they made that statement, public opinion was in favor of that stand. Only 28 percent of the British support the boycott. In France, 15 percent of the public agrees with the boycott and in West Germany only 14 percent agree. In the United States, of course, it’s the reverse.”Carter has been adamant in saying the U.S. would not compete in Moscow as punishment to the Soviet Union for its military intervention in Afghanistan. Public opinion has run in Carter’s favor from the start. The USOC has until May 24 to officially accept or decline the Olympic invitation. Its House of Delegates meets here April 11-13 to formulate the USOC position. However, the House of Delegates is expected to delegate responsibility for the final decision to either its officers or a committee, thus buying more time.Regardless of whether Americans compete in Moscow, a U.S. Olympic Team will be selected. Further, that team will be honored and prepared as if it were readying for an Olympiad.And, as directed by USOC’s executive board in January, Miller’s staff is studying a number of options for alternative competitions. Among the options are a NationalSports Festival, a clustering of games in various locales and an international festival to be held at one site.Those options will be discussed at Olympic House today. Miller has callea together representatives of all the national governing bodies for a closed-door meeting with just that purpose.The purpose of this meeting is to discuss what some of the alternatives are and see if we can reach a consensus,” said Baaron Pit tenger, who as USOC’s director of special events is heading a study of the alternatives. “We’ll see what they think is appropriate and what each sport’s needs are.”
Newspaper Details
Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph
Colorado Springs, Colorado, US
Sat, Mar 29, 1980
Page 21
Full Page
Clipped by
Benjamin S.
NA, 02 May 2024
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