As the date approaches for the final selections of the United States Olympic figure skating team, I hope that the United States Olympic Committee will not allow Tanya Harding to compete at Lillehammer.
Whether or not Harding is guilty, we should hope that the USOC will adhere to the 1994 United States Figure Skating Association Rulebook. According to the USFSA, Harding signed a “Code of Ethics” contract after she won the nationals competition in Detroit Jan. 8.
This code states that the participant is to “. . .exemplify high standards of fairness, ethical behavior and genuine good sportsmanship in any of their relationships with others.”
The USOC is not bound by a legal decision in this or any such case. The USOC should base their decision solely on the fact that Harding’s contract with the USFSA was violated as she was involved in the incident, and allow Michelle Kwan to replace Harding and compete with Nancy Kerrigan.
It is our hope that our country will be represented by individuals who are in good standing with the law and have kept a strong working attitude such as Kerrigan and Kwan. To allow Harding to compete at the Olympics would tarnish the American image of excellence in sports.
