Letters

We enjoyed the Atlanta Olympics so much, we are trying to figure out how to afford a trip to Sydney in 2000.
FRANK PARSONS, MERCER, MO.

The Olympics
Was E.M. Swift at the same Olympic Games as I was (POINT AFTER, Aug. 12)? We had no problems with the "dysfunctional" bus system. It took us only 35 minutes from the time we arrived at our parking area to reach our venue each day. Our 12 tickets for three events cost us around $150. And I was glad there were street vendors where I could get souvenirs at a decent price. While I'm sure the Sydney Games are going to be great, I wish the media would quit giving Atlanta such a bad rap.
WIONA D. PORATH, Lancaster, Ohio

The spirit of the people packed into the trains and lines was a happy one. People joked, got acquainted with strangers and in general were very civil. I decided MARTA riding was an Olympic event in itself, and I hope to receive my medal in the mail any day now. I'm sorry sportswriters had such a bad experience. We went expecting crowds and heat and delays. I mean, what do you think you'll get with that many people in a small area? Take a cold shower, E.M. Swift, and have a good time in Sydney.
SALLY PEARSALL, Mobile, Ala.

Canadian Gold
While Tim Layden's article recognized the dominance of the Canadian men's 4 x 100-meter relay team (Thrills and Spills, Aug. 12), there was no photo of the reigning world champions and now Olympic champions. Surely their victory over the previously undefeated U.S. team was more newsworthy than that of the U.S. women's 4 x 100 team, which has had two double-page photos in recent issues. Please indulge your readers north of the border with one last look at Robert Esmie, Glenroy Gilbert, Bruny Surin and Donovan Bailey.
JOSHUA MARKHAM, Oakville, Ont.

Why was it necessary to mention that Canada's 4 x 100 team comprised "four transplanted Caribbeans wearing the singlet of Canada"? Funny, but the article about the Dream Team (Slam Dunk, Aug. 12) made no mention of American center Hakeem Olajuwon's Nigerian birth.
ROB SHEINFELD, Thornhill, Ont.

Fencing Scandal
Your article about cheating in fencing (A Sport Unmasked, July 29) neglected to mention the most scandalous incident in Olympic fencing history: During the modern pentathlon at the 1976 Montreal Olympics, a Soviet athlete used an �p�e that was rigged so that the electronic scoring system would falsely register a touch when he pushed a switch hidden in the �p�e's handle. The furious pace of fencing made it possible to conceal the cheating. It was discovered only when he completely missed his target but still got credit for a touch. The athlete, Boris Onishenko, a silver medalist in '72, protested that the weapon was not his, but a jury was not satisfied, and he was ejected from the Games.
JOEL AMKRAUT, Los Angeles

Medal Picks
I thought it would be interesting to go back to your Olympic preview issue and see how Anita Verschoth did in predicting medal winners in the 271 events (Who Will Win What, July 22).

Gold: 99 correct predictions, a percentage of about 36.5%.

Gold-silver: 24 correct predictions, almost 9% correct.

Gold-silver-bronze: eight correct predictions, just under 3% correct.