U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Foundation officials have announced the formation of a new international organization to sponsor athlete training.
They had hoped the announcement about the new Women's Bobsleigh Foundation would build on an International Olympic Committee decision to add new events to the 2002 Winter Games, but the IOC balked during meetings this week in Seoul, South Korea.Salt Lake Olympic Committee Chairman Mitt Romney and IOC representatives recently announced SLOC's intention to add women's bobsled and men's and women's skeleton events for the 2002 Winter Games. Also recommended was the addition of men's and women's cross-country skiing sprint.
But the IOC Executive Board Tuesday put off a decision, saying it wants assurance a sufficient number of world-class athletes and countries are involved before adding women's bobsled to the Games. Promoters of the expensive sport are caught in a Catch 22, saying they need to be part of the Games to attract the athletes the IOC wants.
Romney said a final decision whether to include the new events for 2002 is expected when the IOC Executive Board meets in September.
Stew Flaherty, women's program director for the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, said he is still ferreting out the details of the IOC's disappointing delay.
"Understanding the scrutiny the IOC and SLOC have been under, we fully understand the concerns: Are we going to have Olympic-caliber athletes? Will there be enough nations participating?" he said.
"We have enough nations and we will have enough nations; and we need to make sure the IOC knows that," he said. "We're not worried about the caliber of competition. We have that now."
"We have more athletes than women's hockey, and the IOC has to know that by now," said U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton spokeswoman Becky Matanic.
Women's bobsled seemed to have gender equity as a tool as it lobbied to join the men's program in Olympic competition. The IOC delay creates additional concern for skeleton sliders, where neither men's nor women's events are now part of the Games.
Promoters are putting cooperation ahead of competition to help develop bobsled and skeleton participation. The new foundation announced Wednesday is designed to help athletes cover training and competition costs.