Atlanta Games Suffering From Technical Difficulties

Glitches in technology and transportation at the Atlanta Games are testing the patience of everyone from athletes and coaches to sports editors trying to publish results for the folks back home.

The Olympic transportation system, which has separate components for athletes, journalists and spectators, has been denounced across the board for late arrivals and drivers who get lost.

The Olympic shuttle bus system includes a fleet borrowed from other mass-transit systems and drivers, many of whom usually drive school buses, who were hired for $9 an hour. About 50 of the 3,000 shuttle drivers have already quit, complaining of exhaustion and insufficient training.

Organizers tried to put the best face on the problems, saying that many of them are the natural byproducts of a gigantic event that, in progress only two days, is still working out its bugs.

The highly touted Olympic information system, which delivers scores and other results to news organizations, was suffering frequent failures.

Glitches in the ACOG-IBM computer caused delays in getting results to news organizations throughout the weekend, and there were no results at all from some sports.

Mutombo is Zaire booster

The women’s basketball team from Zaire has a big supporter at the Olympics.

Dikembe Mutombo, the Atlanta Hawks’ 7-foot-2 center who is a native of Zaire, has bought uniforms and equipment for the team. He cheered throughout during its 81-65 first-round loss to Ukraine on Sunday.

“Since our arrival on site, he has helped us out,” forward Lukengu Ngalula said. “He has provided our clothing and has helped us a great deal physically and morally. He also has given us presents.”

Thanks, Benny

At the news conference following the Dream Team’s opening victory over Argentina, coach Lenny Wilkens was asked why the U.S. players didn’t have gifts to give the opponents as is customary during the pregame handshake.

“It was a foul-up on somebody’s part and the Argentine players will receive their gifts. It was a foul-up, they happen,” Wilkens said. “Like this.”

He lifted his nameplate at the podium.

“I have been coaching in this city for three years and I’d like to say my name is spelled W-I-L-K-E-N-S,” he said. The card read “Lenny Wilkins.”

Yankees eye javelin thrower

Tom Pukstys, the American record-holder in the javelin, has been offered a tryout as a pitcher by the New York Yankees.

Pukstys said that he had recently spoken to George Steinbrenner and the Yankees’ owner invited him to Legends Field in Tampa, Fla., for an evaluation in October.

Pukstys, 26, said he hoped to “fit in as a closer” with the Yankees.

Close call for judo fighter

A judo fighter who suffered a serious neck injury during a heavyweight bout, then had to wait an hour for an ambulance, was released from the hospital Sunday.

Eric Krieger of Austria, injured Saturday in a bout against eventual gold medalist David Douillet of France, sustained a bruised spinal cord. Doctors planned further tests.

Krieger was carried off the mat on a stretcher with his neck in a brace, then had to wait for an ambulance to take him to Crawford Memorial Hospital. Officials said the ambulance at the arena had a dead battery.

Canoeist on bended knee

British canoeist Shaun Pearce decided to make the opening ceremony more memorable. When the team got to the center of Olympic Stadium, Pearce dropped to his knees and proposed to physiotherapist Julie Stark.

Stark stood in stunned silence for a few moments and then accepted. Pearce pulled out an engagement ring and placed it on his fiancee’s left hand while the rest of the British team clapped and cheered.