7Quebec

戴口罩进北京参加奥运的选手要美国奥委会道歉

在上个月四名美国自行车选手戴着黑色口罩进入北京。他们随后因为冒犯主办国被美国奥委会责令向主办国道歉。现在，他们也要求美国奥委会道歉。

在一封送给运动员咨询理事会领导集体信函中，Michael Friedman， Sarah Hammer，Bobby Lea 和 Jennie Reed这四位自行车选手的一位律师不仅要求美国奥委会道歉，而且他表示，这个事件给运动员的情绪带来毁灭性的打击，给他们在北京奥运会的比赛有不利的影响。在北京奥运会上他们四人没有得到一块奖牌，Sarah Hammer也只落得第五名。

由于担心北京的空气污染，在奥运会前美国奥委会给每个运动员提供了口罩。

“为了奥运会训练了几年的运动员不应该受到这样的不尊重”。他们的律师Christopher Campbell这样写道： “这是他们的第一参加奥运会。他们应该在一个被支持性环境，使他们能享受他们的奥运经历并以最高水平投入比赛。在那样一个公共场所受到不实的指控，给他们带来是屈辱和情绪的影响。这影响到了运动员的表现。”。

这些运动员还要求“美国奥委会以毫不含糊的措来说明他们并没有做错事。”并且“完全保证这类事情不会在将来的奥运会上再次发生。”。

周五美国奥委会没有对他们是否已收到这封信发表看法。

Hammer和Reed是最有希望在奥运会上得到奖牌的自行车运动员。但两人在北京都不顺利。

Hammer曾经获得两次世界冠军，这次在个人比赛中只得第五名。Reed由于感冒在短程比赛只得第八名。Lea在计分赛上也曾领先过，但也由于疾病而退出比赛，奥运会期间。他和Friedman 在16组的麦迪逊比赛中只是最后一名。

赛后，Friedman曾措辞严厉指责美国奥委会，认为他被出卖了。并坚持认为他应该被允许穿口罩，因是美国奥委会为他们分发的口罩。当时分发了200多个口罩。但只有极少数的美国运动员公开在北京戴着口罩。 “这是不幸的事，那些本来应该支持运动员实习他们的奥运梦想的人却只追求他们自己的利益。”。Hammer的个人教练和未婚妻Andy Sparks如是说。他也担任北京奥运会上美国自行车场地赛的教练。

needlaurel

哼，都是多出来的事情。自找麻烦，自取其辱。

7Quebec

Cyclists Want Apology From USOC Over Mask Flap

American cyclists who emerged from plane in Beijing wearing masks want apology from USOC


By TIM REYNOLDS AP Sports Writer
September 5, 2008 (AP)
The Associated Press



A cyclist from the U.S. team arrives wearing a mask at Beijing airport to participate in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, August 5, 2008.
(Yves Herman/Reuters)

The four American cyclists who arrived for last month's Beijing Games wearing black masks and were subsequently ordered to apologize for offending the host nation are seeking an apology from the U.S. Olympic Committee.

In a letter sent to the leadership group of the Athletes Advisory Council, an attorney for the four cyclists — Michael Friedman, Sarah Hammer, Bobby Lea and Jennie Reed — not only asked the USOC to apologize, but said the flap was "emotionally devastating" and adversely affected their performances at the Beijing Games, where none of them medaled and only Hammer managed a top-five finish.

The athletes were provided the masks before the Olympics by the USOC because of ongoing air-pollution concerns in Beijing.

"No athlete who has trained for years to become an Olympic athlete should be subject to such disrespect," wrote their attorney, Christopher Campbell. "It was their first Olympic Games. They should have been in a supportive environment so that they could enjoy their Olympic experience and perform at peak levels. The false accusations, done in such a public fashion, was humiliating and emotionally devastating. It affected the Athletes' performance."

The athletes also want "an unequivocal statement from the USOC that they did not engage in any inappropriate conduct" and "systemic assurance that something like this does not happen to future Olympic athletes."

The USOC did not comment Friday on whether they had received the letter.

Hammer and Reed were among USA Cycling's top medal hopefuls entering the games, yet both struggled in Beijing.

Hammer, a two-time world champion, was fifth in the individual pursuit, and Reed finished eighth in the sprint after coming down with a flu-like illness during the Olympics. Lea led the men's points race before dropping out of the event, citing fatigue, and he and Friedman combined to finish last in the 16-team madison race.

After that race, Friedman had harsh words for the USOC, saying he felt betrayed and insisting that he should have been allowed to wear the masks — because they were distributed by the USOC. More than 200 of the masks were distributed, but only a handful of American athletes publicly revealed wearing theirs at any time in Beijing.

"It is unfortunate that those that are supposed to support the athletes in their Olympic dreams were so quick to look out for their own interests," said Andy Sparks, Hammer's personal coach and fiancee, who also served as USA Cycling's track coach for the Beijing Games.