The Olympic figure-skating drama continues to unfold even as other U.S. Olympians prepare for the games. Last week, Tonya Harding's erstwhile husband Jeff Gillooly faced charges in an alleged plot with her bodyguard and two others to injure the skater's rival, Nancy Kerrigan. And an Oregon sheriff's report implicated Harding herself, stating that, in preparation for one aborted attempted assault on Kerrigan, Harding had called a Boston arena to find out Kerrigan's practice schedule. Still, last week, Harding had not been charged in the incident, continued to deny any involvement and remained on the Olympic team.
As the controversy focused more attention on the high-stakes glamour of figure skating, athletes due to compete in six other sports at Lillehammer next month watched the hoopla from the sidelines. Heading for his first Olympics, U.S. luge team member Mark Grimmette expressed the frustration of nonskaters: "Every time you turn on the TV, that's what you see." During the games themselves, part of the problem lies with the skaters, says cross- country skier Leslie Thompson. "In the opening ceremonies, the figure skaters always want to stand in the front," she says. "You just want to say, `Give someone else a chance.' " Among those with whom the skaters might share the spotlight when the games open February 12 are lugers Wendel Suckow and Duncan Kennedy, freestyle skier Trace Worthington and speed skaters Dan Jansen and Bonnie Blair, all of whom are given good chances for Olympic medals.
