Olympic Games: Triathlon and tae-kwondo go to Sydney

THE International Olympic Committee yesterday approved the addition of triathlon and the martial art, tae-kwondo, as medal sports for the 2000 Games in Sydney.

Men's and women's events will be held in both sports, which will each have a maximum of 100 athletes. There are two versions of tae- kwondo, but the one approved by the IOC at their meeting in Paris is the full-body contact style sanctioned by the World Tae-

kwondo Federation in Seoul.

In Sydney, triathlon athletes will swim 1500 metres, cycle 40km (25 miles) and run 10km (6.25 miles).

On the political scene, Primo Nebiolo, the president of the International Amateur Athletic Federation, denied that he had won what was seen as an important round in the Olympic power game.

'That couldn't be further from the truth,' he said. 'We are all working for the good of the Olympic movement.'

Earlier in the day, the IOC president Juan-Antonio Samaranch forced the session to accept a rule change which allowed him to propose up to 10 new members, including Nebiolo, to the IOC.

It is believed the move will give Nebiolo more influence as the new members - who will be elected on a one-per-country basis - must either be sports federation presidents or have a specific skill.