-The-Michigan Daily - Tuesday, July31,4984 -Page 15
Soviets belittle 01ympics
(Continued from Page 1)
the opening ceremony being "shown
during the intermissions."
IZVESTIA SAID U.S. athletes were
taking advantage of the absence of the
Soviet Union and East Germany to win
events in which "they have not shone
for a long time." Other competition was
compared unfavorably to the 1980
Summer Olympics, which were held in
Moscow and were the target of a U.S.-
led boycott.
Ever since the Soviet Union and its
socialist allies began plulling out of this
year's games in May, the official press
has kept up an intensive campaign over
the Olympics. Coverage of the opening
days reflected the government's earlier
charges and criticism.
In a story headolined "Olympics
American Style "Izvestia claimed
anew that the mass murder July 18 in a
fast-food restaurant in San Diego, Calif.
shows athletes at the Olympics are not
safe.
IZVESTIA also mentioned the death
and injuries caused by a motorist who
roared down a crowded sidewalk in Los
Angeles.
"Both misfortunes reveal once again
the hypocrisy of the organizers of the
current Olympiad, who claim no one is
threatened there," Izvestia said.
Tass reported the Brazil had with-
drawn from the equestrian events after
"an unidentified man got in to a stable
and stabbed in the neck the horse on
which a Brazilian sportsman was to
compete."
"Police and organizing committee
spokesmen responsible for security at
Santa Anita Park, site of the Olympic
dressage competition, said that what
happened was an accident," Tass said.
"BUT AREN'T there too many 'ac-
cidents' happening in Los Angeles?"
added Tass.
Izvestia accused President Reagan of
using the Games to further his re-
election campaign. "In a radio
message to the nation and in a speech
before the U.S. Olympic team, he ap-
pealed to 'new patriotism' - simply
speaking, chauvinism," it added.
The newspaper also charged that "as
if by command, the American press
stopped noting that sportsmen of the
majority of the leading Olympic powers
do not participate in the Games," - a
reference to East Germany and the
Soviet Union.
THE SOVIETS have frequently said
the 1984 Olympics results will be
blackened because of the Kremlin-led
boycott, and Izvestia said that early
competitive events "were an obvious
support of such an evaluation."
"In the absence of serious com-
petition, American sportsmen have
won awards even in those kinds of spor-
ts where they have not shone for a long
time," it said. "For example, in the
road bicycle race, representatives of the
U.S.A. were last at the Olympic podium
in remote 1912. Now, suddenly, they
won victories in both male and female
competitions."
Tass called the opening ceremonies
of the games, held on Saturday, "a
political spectacle." Izvestia charged
the television coverage was dominated
by "the shameless self-advertising of
those who call the tune in Los Angeles"
- the companies who sponsored the
television coverage.
"THERE WERE so many ads that
one can say that the opening ceremony
was shown during the intermissions," it
said.
Demand for Olympic tickets soared
as the week began with waits of up to
seven hours reported for the 600,000 un-
sold tickets. Scalpers were asking as
much as $1,000 for tickets.
Mary Lou Retton, 16-year-old
vaults over the horse during 0
astics sensation from Fairmont, W. Va.
ic comnetition yesterday.
David Larson, Bruce Hayes and Rich Saeger immediately
s time of 7:18.87 came in a qualifying heat yesterday.