Olympic notebook

FBI investigating e-mail threats against Ohno

SALT LAKE CITY -- The FBI is investigating threatening e-mails sent to U.S. short-track speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno, who has been involved in two controversial races at the Games.

The 19-year-old received more than 40 e-mails with "nonspecific" threats through the athlete service on the Salt Lake Organizing Committee's Web site, said Bill Matthews, an FBI special agent based in Salt Lake City for the Games.

"We're taking this very seriously and pursuing an investigation," Matthews said. "We've made some progress."

He wouldn't provide details, but added, "It's not like they said, "I'm going to kill you at 4 o'clock tomorrow.' "

Salt Lake organizers first told the FBI about the threats Sunday night, shortly after Ohno was involved in a crash in the 1,000-meter race he was leading. An Australian won, but Ohno slid across the finish line for the silver medal.

In Wednesday's 1,500, Ohno was awarded gold after South Korea's Kim Dong-Sung was disqualified for blocking him on the final lap.

USOC spokesman Mike Moran said 16,000 e-mails regarding Ohno, mostly from sources in South Korea, forced the USOC to take down its Internet server early Thursday. Service was restored almost nine hours later.

South Korean officials have vowed to file complaints with the International Olympic Committee and International Skating Union.

Ohno said he can't understand why the South Koreans are so upset. "You get off the ice and respect the referee's decision," he said. "It's happened to me so many times."

As for the threats, Ohno said, "I'm not worried."

SKATING SCANDAL: The French judge at the center of the figure skating controversy denied to investigators she was part of any vote-swapping deal and said she voted for the Russian pairs team on merit, her attorney said.

In three hours of testimony, Marie-Reine Le Gougne recanted the accusations that several witnesses reported hearing her make in an emotional outburst last week, attorney Max Miller said.

"She was under extreme pressure, feeling emotionally assaulted and even physically assaulted when she made those statements," Miller said.

"The three basic aspects of her testimony were that she denied any deal, any vote-swapping," Miller said. "She stated she felt that on merit the Russians were better (than the Canadians) and that's why she voted for them. The accusations of nefarious conduct were untrue."

The ISU suspended Le Gougne indefinitely last week.

LIKE BEING AT HOME: Keven Kretschmer and his buddies drove 13 hours from Calgary to Salt Lake City for the Olympics, but it's like they never left.

When they're not cheering their hockey team, they're chilling at the Canada Olympic Lodge, a Salt Lake City hangout with wooden snowshoes on the walls, Canadian channels on the television and plenty of Labatt's beer.

"It almost feels like home," said Kretschmer. "It's just the energy. You're around people who are all cheering for the same team."

Canada's lodge is one of 23 international hospitality houses in greater Salt Lake City. Most, such as France's or Austria's, are limited to athletes or tourists from that country. But a handful of others are open to anyone willing to try some foreign culture.

DELAYED REACTION: Some of Lea Ann Parsley's fellow firefighters in Granville, Ohio, wanted to wait and watch her skeleton race on tape-delay, so they tried to avoid learning the outcome.

Visitors entering the firehouse were greeted by red signs that read, "If you know the results of the race, keep it to yourself."

"I've had my ears closed all day," said Lt. Bob Otter, whose task was made more difficult by passers-by honking and shouting "Way to go Lee Ann" after she won the silver.

The firefighters moved couches and chairs into the garage where they normally keep firetrucks and wheeled in two TVs. Finally, some eight hours after the fact, they saw Parsley's ride and the crowd roared.

PRINCE IN PAIN: The prince has pulled a hamstring and, sadly enough, he has no royal authority to postpone today's start of four-man competition. Fortunately, Albert Grimaldi doesn't need a medal to put food on the table. This is the fifth Olympics in which the son of Prince Rainier and the late Grace Kelly has taken part. His best finish was 25th in the two-man competition in Calgary in 1988. He said he might withdraw his sled if he is unable to help push off and jump into it.

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