U.S. swimmers in disgrace

Press, 26 September 1988, Page 1

U.S. swimmers in disgrace

NZPA-Reuter Seoul Two United States swimmers would be sent home in disgrace and expelled from the American team for ing a bust from a Seoul night club, United States officials said yesterday. ' Troy Dalbey and Doug Gjertsen, members of the team that set a world record in the four by 200 metres freestyle relay on Wednesday, were being confined to their quarters in the athietes’ village until they left Seoul. In a joint statement, the two said: “We are both very sorry that we have embarrassed the United States Olympic team, the American people, our friends and relatives by our actions.” South Korean police said the two were arrested early on

Saturday morning for stealing the concrete bust. Witnesses said the two appeared very drunk at a discotheque in a smart hotel. One fell off his chair when

congratulated on his victories by a fellow reveller. “It was i basically a prank gone berserk,” said a United States official after the two were released by police and returned to the athletes’ village. The United States officials said charges against the two swimmers appeared to have been dropped. They had not been due to compete in any other events. The United States Olympic committee met to review their case yesterday and decided that “the athletes be returned to the United States as soon as permitted I by the Korean authorities and discharged from the Olympic team.” The committee said further disciplinary action might be taken when they got home.

The two said in their statement: “We want to apologise especially to the Korean people and hope our actions have not jeopardised the positive relations between the people of the United States and our gracious host in Seoul.” Olympics, pages 21-25