U.S. track cyclists seek apology from USOC

The four U.S. Olympic track cyclists from whom the U.S. Olympic Committee demanded an apology for offending China by wearing anti-pollution masks upon their Aug. 5 arrival at the Beijing airport have turned the tables, asking the USOC to apologize for its staff members’ behavior in the matter and to clear the athletes of any wrongdoing.

In a letter signed by the athletes’ attorney, 1992 Olympic wrestling medalist Christopher Campbell, a copy of which was provided to the Chicago Tribune, the cyclists allege that USOC sports partnerships director Kelly Skinner publicly “berated and harassed” them for wearing masks the USOC sports science department had commissioned to deal with Beijing’s notorious air pollution.

The letter, dated Saturday and sent to USOC athletes advisory commission chairman Mark Henderson, also said USOC chief of sport performance Steve Roush “called the athletes a disgrace and issued an ultimatum: either write an apology or risk getting kicked out of the games.”

The cyclists, Mike Friedman of Pittsburgh, Bobby Lea of Mertztown, Pa., Sarah Hammer of Temecula and Jennie Reed of Long Beach, have asked the AAC to conduct an inquiry into “false accusations (that were) humiliating and emotionally devastating (and) affected the athletes’ performance.”

Hammer, 2006 and 2007 world champion in individual pursuit, lost in the first round in Beijing. Reed, 2008 world bronze medalist in the match sprint, was seventh at the Olympics.

Henderson is to discuss the matter Monday with USOC Chief Executive Jim Scherr.

“If there are any questions or concerns that need to be addressed, we will do so by speaking directly with the chair of the AAC and, if the athletes wish, with the athletes themselves,” USOC spokesman Darryl Seibel said Saturday. “As to the specifics of the letter, I have not yet seen it, so I am not in a position to respond.”

Scherr and USOC Chairman Peter Ueberroth criticized the athletes at a news conference the day after their arrival. The USOC announced at that news conference it had gotten a public apology from the athletes to the city, the country and the Beijing Olympic organizers.

“You never want to go into someone else’s place and cause any embarrassment,” Ueberroth said. In the letter to the AAC, the athletes said USOC physiologist Randy Wilber suggested they wear the masks “from the minute they step foot in Beijing until they begin competing.”

The letter, which misspells the names of Roush and Wilber, asks three things from the USOC: a public apology for the “inappropriate conduct of its staff”; an “unequivocal statement” that the athletes did not engage in inappropriate conduct; and “systemic assurance” that future Olympic athletes will not face similar treatment.

Philip Hersh covers Olympic sports for The Times and the Chicago Tribune.