Olympics notebook

By Compiled from Times wires

Answer to low ratings? Even more ads

NBC has started running additional commercials in its telecasts to compensate advertisers for a shortfall in TV audiences.

An extra two ads per hour, on average, were shown during the network's show late Wednesday.

The move translates into a slight trimming of some aspect of what viewers see of the Games, be it competition coverage, feature stories or studio reports.

Nielsen ratings through the first five nights were 9 percent lower than the 16.1 minimum national rating ad buyers were guaranteed.

Instead of 18 national ads each hour, NBC's audiences are seeing 20 -- in addition to local affiliates' ad time.

The extra commercials in theory allow sponsors to get their messages across to as many viewers as they had counted on when they paid as much as $600,000 for a half-minute commercial in prime time on NBC.

ARMSTRONG HONOR: Citing champion cyclist Lance Armstrong's commitment to fighting cancer, a Texas congressman introduced a House of Representatives measure to award the two-time Tour de France winner the Congressional Gold Medal.

"While his courageous battle with cancer set the stage for one of the most amazing comebacks in sports history, it is his commitment to raising cancer awareness and helping others triumph over the disease that particularly merits congressional recognition," Rep. Lloyd Doggett, D-Texas, said.

Armstrong, in Sydney to compete, was diagnosed in October 1996 with testicular cancer, which had spread to his lungs and brain. After chemotherapy, he won the 1999 Tour de France and repeated as champion this summer.

DRUG DEALINGS: The father of Dutch swimming star Pieter van den Hoogenband lashed out at U.S. women's coach Richard Quick. Quick created a stir Wednesday when he said he believes the meet is not "drug-free." He did not identify a country or specific swimmer, but there were questions as to whether it was directed at Dutch stars van den Hoogenband and Inge de Bruijn, though Quick said he thought they were clean.

"He's the most stupid idiot I ever saw," Cees-Rein van den Hoogenband said. ". . . Americans they can't swim, they can't win."

Said Quick: "I don't know Mr. van den Hoogenband. I know that I did not point my finger at his son's performance. He's entitled to his opinion. It's not the first time, by the way."

MORE DRUGS: The United States gets its first weightlifting gold medal since 1960 after two more Bulgarian lifters tested positive for banned drugs.

The International Olympic Committee said Thursday that gold medalist Izabela Dragneva, the first women's champion in Olympic history, and men's bronze medalist Sevdalin Minchev tested positive for diuretics. They are the second and third Bulgarian lifters found with the drug in their systems.

"They are disqualified," said Jacques Rogge, vice chairman of the International Olympic Committee medical commission.

That means American Tara Nott gets the gold medal in the women's class. She finished second at 105 pounds.

Rogge said both Bulgarians tested positive for furosemide, the diuretic for which another Bulgarian lifter was kicked out.

AND STILL MORE: Czech cyclist Jan Hruska is out after testing positive for what a Czech official identified as nandrolone, an anabolic steroid. The International Cycling Union confirmed his disqualification in a statement from its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland.

HIJACKER CAUGHT: One of two prisoners who escaped from a Sydney jail and briefly abducted members of the South Korean delegation was captured Thursday, police said.

The carjacking close to the athletes village sparked a major security alert, and prison officials apologized to the South Korean team.

The man's identity was not released.

FALLING HORSES: Equestrian is often an injury-riddled sport. Sydney has been no exception.

Brazilian Robert Macedo broke his pelvis during the cross-country phase of the individual three-day event when his horse flipped over an obstacle and fell on him. Danish rider Nils Haagensen also fell and had a seriously bruised shoulder that was at first thought to be broken.

Bermuda Gold, ridden by Mary Jane Tumbridge of Bermuda, fractured his front leg and was euthanized.