News for March 22, 1997

Stars threaten rebellion

Australia's best cyclists - including world champion Shane Kelly, Olympic gold medallist Kathy Watt and Olympic bronze medallist Bradley McGee - are likely to refuse to sign a newly released athletes' agreement, putting in jeopardy their position on the national track cycling team.

Managers of leading cyclists indicated that they would advise their clients not to sign the contentious agreement, even though Australian Cycling Federation chief executive Graham Fredericks said: "If they wish to be considered for the [world championship] squad they will have to sign it."

As one, the cyclists' managers were concerned by the legal implications and stripping of personal rights of their athletes for the six to eight months during which the agreement will be in place.

As the wording of the agreement now stands, even dual Olympic bronze medallist Stuart O'Grady, who is riding with the French-based trade team GAN, would be unwillingly to forgo potential five-year earnings of $1 million and his illustrious professional career to compete for Australia at the world championships in Perth in August because he would be breaching GAN conditions.

The selection policy and the athletes' agreement emerged after eight months of negotiations between the Australian Olympic Committee, the Australian Sports Commission and the ACF.

Kelly's manager, Rob Woodhouse, said he believed the agreement was legally unenforceable and that "we won't be signing it".

Under the agreement:

• Head coach Charlie Walsh, team managers, officials and athletes will be gagged. Technically, Walsh would be in breach of the agreement if he told the media that he was "really pleased how the team performed".
• Cyclists will be banned from promoting their personal sponsors when attending training, competition events and official functions for the entire time they are in the national squad.
• Squad members can wear only official ACF team clothing at training, events and functions. But the most astounding requirement is that the ACF will be able to revise the agreement as soon as it is signed by the athlete, but there is no provision for the athlete to be notified or consulted about such amendments.

There is also no mention in the agreement about its duration.

McGee's manager Kerry Ruffels said: "The fact it has got no date - well, what can I say? We will be going over it with a fine tooth comb but I must admit at this early stage I am very surprised by its content and the degree the ACF has taken the agreement."

Fredericks said the gag on athletes and coaches was a step in the right direction to try to improve the image and promotion of cycling.

Under the selection criteria which were released in conjunction with the agreement, cyclists have just one day's official notice of the qualifying times required to make the national squad as the policy time frame relates to performances from July 1996 to today.

Meanwhile, Watt is suing Walsh for defamation following their very public and vocal feud emanating from before the Atlanta Olympics.

Watt has not met the qualifying criteria for the event as laid down in the selection policy, but selectors are still likely to name her in the squad when it is announced late tonight - if only to head off further legal manoeuvring.

The selection policy is unusual in that it considers such factors as starting skill and psychological focus appropriate to the event in the individual and teams pursuit events.