Lawyers Want End to Olympic Case

Contending federal prosecutors are going too far, lawyers for indicted Salt Lake City Olympic bid leaders Tom Welch and Dave Johnson again urged the case be thrown out.

“If Welch or Johnson spent it [the bid committee’s funds] unwisely, or even illegally, the remedy is job discipline, not the creation of federal felonies out of disagreements about means and methods,” the defense team wrote in filings Friday with U.S. Magistrate Ronald Boyce.

The documents, the latest volley between prosecutors and defense attorneys, again demand more detail about the government’s case against the two bid leaders.

Last week, the U.S. Attorney filed a rebuttal to defense claims that all 15 counts of mail and wire fraud against Welch and Johnson should be dismissed. On Friday, defense attorneys said the government was making contradictory arguments.

Prosecutors argue the bidders financially deprived the committee while at the same time spending bid committee funds to win the games, according to the documents.

The defense also said that prosecutors changed strategy, abandoning their argument that the payments made to International Olympic Committee members deprived the bid committee of the right to control how bid money was spent.

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Upset at how Donovan Bailey conducted himself during the Sydney Olympics, his management firm has dropped the star sprinter as a client.

Bailey, the former world record-holder at 100 meters, did not practice with the Canadian relay team and was eliminated in the second round of the 100.

He cited a viral infection for missing practice, only to be spotted in a nightclub that week, partying into the morning.

Miscellany

The Fresno Falcons defeated the Ice Dogs, 2-1, in a shootout before an announced crowd of 4,155 at Long Beach Arena. David Kudelka scored for the Ice Dogs.

Jockey Shawn Bridgmohan was thrown from his horse, Steve’s Thunder, nearing the stretch of the first race at Aqueduct and was taken to North Shore University Hospital in New York with possible broken ribs.

Left-handed pitcher Tim Byrdak agreed to a minor league contract with the Cleveland Indians, who invited him to spring training.

Norway’s Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored twice as Manchester United beat Ipswich, 2-0, at London increasing its lead in the Premier League. . . . AC Milan suffered its first Italian League home loss as it was beaten, 2-1, by Perugia on a goal in the 58th minute by Greek striker Zisis Vryzas at Rome.