BC-RUN-TRACK:TB — sports Dec 14 2000 Track’s World Cup to skip Sacramento By Philip Hersh Chicago Tribune CHICAGO — Caught up in the euphoric atmosphere of last summer’s stunningly successful U.S. Olympic Track and Field Trials at Sacramento, International Amateur Athletic Federation President Lamine Diack of Senegal talked of providing financial support to help the U.S. stage the 2002 World Cup. It would be part of an effort to win back the heart of America to track and field,” Diack said Just talk, it turned out. The U.S. has decided not to pursue the 2002 World Cup in conjunction with the Sacramento Sports Commission because the three-day event stands to lose $1.6 million, according to sports commission Executive Director John McCasey. The international federation is unwilling to cover part of the organizing expenses because one of its three other potential host cities likely will pay all those costs. Lagos, Nigeria; Shanghai, China; and Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, all have expressed interest in the event. Formal bids are due before the IAAF council chooses the site in March. Diack recently expressed support for Lagos. When the World Cup began in 1977, it was track and field’s first global event other than the Olympics. The World Cup, which has a team competition format, lost importance once the IAAF World Championships began in 1983. “The IAAF is paying $2.5 million in World Cup prize money,” IAAF Executive Director Istvan Gyulai said. “We believe the organizers also should make a sacrifice or a contribution.” According to McCasey, it would cost $2.9 million to meet IAAF requirements of paying lodging and travel for 610 athletes, coaches and officials and mounting a world TV signal. McCasey estimated potential revenues at $1.275 million. Sacramento, which lost $500,000 on the Olympic trials despite a virtual sellout for all eight sessions, is understandably loath to make more sacrifices. USATF does not want to risk 13 percent of its annual budget ($11.6 million in 2001) to cover an event that might not attract much attention at its proposed dates of Sept. 20-22, 2002. “We really did cherish the idea of having the event in the U.S.,” said Gyulai, whose son is a senior at Notre Dame. X X X © 2000, Chicago Tribune. ****************************************************************************** ******************
