U.S. skeleton coach appeal denied; will miss World Cup
By the time a judge shot down Tim Nardiello’s bid to be immediately reinstated as coach of the U.S. skeleton team Tuesday afternoon, his only real chance of catching up to the Olympics-bound sliders in Germany this weekend had long passed.
The flight that would have started him on his way to World Cup events there left Albany, N.Y., at 5 p.m. – without him.
The five-page decision was faxed about an hour before.
“I would have had to leave here by 1 to make it,” Nardiello said from his Lake Placid, N.Y. home. “And it didn’t happen.”
Nardiello was placed on paid administrative leave Dec. 31 by the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation while two sexual harassment complaints made against him are investigated. He went to the New York Supreme Court in Elizabethtown, N.Y., seeking reinstatement the day before, but was denied Tuesday by Justice James Dawson.
“It’s unfortunate that this judge was overwhelmed by the truth and that he’s ducking the situation by saying that it’s out of his jurisdiction,” Nardiello said. “In my eyes, it’s clearly not.”
Nardiello is expected to continue appealing with hopes of coaching the U.S. team at the Turin Olympics next month. He and the USBSF will next meet before an independent arbiter sometime next week; those plans were still being worked by both parties.
“Also during the day, it was revealed that slider Zach Lund, perhaps the U.S. team’s top gold-medal hope, had tested positive for a drug masking agent earlier in the season and would miss this weekend’s World Cup race in Germany – and possibly the Turin Olympics.
Lund tested positive for Finasteride, an ingredient in a hair restoration treatment, U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation president Jim Shea Sr. told the Associated Press.
The drug is known to mask certain steroids.
“Olympic champion cyclist Tyler Hamilton appeared before the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Denver in hopes of having his blood-doping suspension lifted.
OLYMPICS
Pregnant skier Kostner retires
Star skier Isolde Kostner, 30, is retiring because she is pregnant and will not compete in next month’s Turin Games in her home country. Kostner is considered the greatest female skier in Italian history.
“My skiing career ends here,” Kostner said. “I will not participate at the Olympics. My next challenge will not be winning a gold medal, but becoming a mother.”
“Approval of the final budget for the Turin Olympics was delayed again, exactly one month before the games.
The overall cost of the Feb. 10-26 Winter Games is estimated at more than $3.6 billion. The Turin organizing committee has haggled with government officials for several months over a budget shortfall last estimated at $97 million.
“Wendy Wagner chased down a ski in the changeover from the classic to freestyle and went on to easily capture her fifth national title, winning the women’s 15-kilometer pursuit at the U.S. Cross Country Championships in Midway, Utah.
COLLEGES
Paterno earns top honor
Penn State’s Joe Paterno was named coach of the year by the American Football Coaches Association, marking the record fifth time his peers have chosen him for their highest annual honor.
“Billionaire alumnus Boone Pickens will donate $165 million to Oklahoma State, the largest single gift given to an NCAA athletic program.
“Stanford officials acknowledged allegations by a disgruntled athletic department employee that football players took recruits to a strip club three years ago using athletic department money.
“Former Missouri football star Zachary Abron, 25, was charged in Lebanon, Mo., with felony possession of marijuana.
“All-American linebacker Paul Posluszny will bypass the NFL draft and return to Penn State for his senior year.
“UCLA basketball starting forward Josh Shipp will be sidelined for the rest of the season because of increasing pain and discomfort in his right hip. The Bruins play host to Washington State on Thursday.
“Cincinnati basketball forward Armein Kirkland will miss the rest of the season after tearing the ACL in his left knee.
“Georgia Tech forward Theodis Tarver was declared academically ineligible by the school, ending his college basketball career.
Miscellany
Defending champion Marat Safin and French Open winner Rafael Nadal are out of the Australian Open with injuries, joining Andre Agassi on the sidelines for the first Grand Slam of the year.
“Roger Federer was upset by Tommy Haas at an Australian Open tuneup tournament in Melbourne, Australia, though the loss won’t count in his ATP record.
“U.S. soccer team midfielder Pablo Mastroeni will be sidelined for six to eight weeks after partially tearing his left quadriceps during practice.