🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <10AUG199222593503@amarna.gsfc.nasa.gov> packer@amarna.gsfc.nasa.gov (Charles Packer) writes:
>I've never paid much attention to the Olympics, but
>have always known they are for =amateurs=, no
>professional athletes need apply. Now comes a front
>page story in the NY Times about the "Dream Team"
>of professional basketball players. There was no
>background explanatory material in the story.
>Could somebody bring me up to date on this situation?

Well, I guess you really HAVEN'T paid much attention to the
Olympics, because this has been discussed in sports circles
for years.  Several years ago, the International Olympic Committee
decided to give the individual sports federations the right to decide
whether professionals should be allowed at the Olympics.  The president
of the IOC, Juan Antonio Samaranch, generally feels that the best
athletes in the world should compete, whether or not they are
professionals.

The result is that right now, whether professionals can compete
depends on the sport.  In basketball and tennis, professionals are 
totally free to compete.  In gymnastics, true professionals are not
allowed, but competitors can earn appearance fees.  In figure
skating, until recently professionals were completely forbidden, but
I understand that that has changed within the last few months.

Ed
ed@wente.llnl.gov