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Immigrant Lomong Picked To Carry U.S. Flag

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A Tribune wire report

Published: August 7, 2008

Eight years ago, Lopez Lomong didn't even have a country. Now he'll be carrying the flag for his adopted nation, leading the U.S. Olympic team at opening ceremonies Friday night.

Lomong, one of the Lost Boys of Sudan, won a vote of team captains Wednesday to earn the honor of leading America's contingent into the 90,000-seat Bird's Nest Stadium.

The 1,500-meter track runner will be the flagbearer only 13 months after becoming a U.S. citizen.

"It's more than a dream," Lomong said in an interview with The Associated Press moments after he got the news. "I keep saying, I'm not sure if this is true or not true. I'm making the team and now I'm the first guy coming to the stadium and the whole world will be watching me carry the flag. There are no words to describe it."

He was born in Sudan, separated from his parents at gunpoint at age 6, and with the help of friends, he escaped confinement and made it to a refugee camp in Kenya. In 2001, he was brought to America as part of a program to relocate lost children from war-torn Sudan.

In 2004, Dawn Staley did the flagbearer's honors. In 2000, they went to kayaker Cliff Meidl, who survived a 30,000-volt jolt of electricity in a construction accident and became an Olympian.

Top Brazil Volleyball Team Loses Player

Juliana Felisberta Silva, one-half of the top women's beach volleyball team from powerhouse Brazil, pulled out the Olympics because of an injury.

Claudio Motta, spokesman for the Brazilian Olympic committee, confirmed Silva will not compete. By withdrawing before competition begins Saturday, she allows partner Larissa Franca to pick another teammate for the tournament.

Motta did not comment on possible new partners, though Ana Paula is the likely replacement. Ana Paula finished eighth in qualifying for the 24-team Olympic women's tournament, but they were left out because of quotas that allow no more than two teams per country.

Clubs Win Appeal In Olympic Soccer Case

Three European clubs won an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Wednesday to keep their players out of the Olympic soccer tournament. Two, however, will still play, and the other might.

Sport's highest court ruled Argentine forward Lionel Messi, Werder Bremen's Diego and Rafinha of Schalke can be kept out of the Beijing Games by their clubs.

Despite the ruling, Messi still wants to play for his country instead of returning to FC Barcelona, according to Argentina coach Sergio Batista.

Schalke and Werder Bremen later offered to let Rafinha and Diego stay with Brazil for the Olympic tournament.

However, both demanded the Brazilian football federation quickly "create the conditions" for the players' involvement - for example, by providing evidence of insurance cover in case they are injured.

Former Speedskater Cheek's Visa Revoked

Former Olympic speedskater Joey Cheek had his visa revoked by Chinese authorities, hours before he was set to travel to Beijing to promote his effort urging China to help make peace in the war-torn Darfur section of Sudan.

Cheek, the president and co-founder of a collection of Olympic athletes known as Team Darfur, was planning to spend about two weeks in China, when he received an unexpected call from authorities.

The 2006 American gold medalist said they told him they were denying him entrance into the country and were "not required to give a reason."

White House press secretary Dana Perino said the U.S. would protest China's decision to deny the visa.

U.S. Cyclists Apologize For Wearing Masks

A group of American cyclists has apologized to Beijing Olympic organizers after arriving in China's capital wearing face masks.

Michael Friedman, Sarah Hammer, Bobby Lea and Jennie Reed released a statement, a day after they caused a stir by showing up in the protective gear.

"The wearing of protective masks upon our arrival into Beijing was strictly a precautionary measure we as athletes chose to take, and was in no way meant to serve as an environmental or political statement," the athletes said. "We deeply regret the nature of our choices. Our decision was not intended to insult BOCOG or countless others who have put forth a tremendous amount of effort to improve the air quality in Beijing."

The host city's air remains a concern with the start of the games approaching. Beijing has put into effect long-planned pollution-control measures, such as taking cars off the streets, and American officials are cautiously optimistic.

Jim Scherr, the U.S. Olympic Committee's chief executive officer, said his organization didn't ask the cyclists to apologize.

"Those athletes regret that action and have written an apology to BOCOG on their own behalf," Scherr said. "They now realize and understand how their actions were perceived by the host nation and by the organizing committee."

Beard's Anti-Fur Protest Shifts Focus

Olympic gold medalist swimmer Amanda Beard had to launch her naked, anti-fur campaign poster outside the Athletes' Village after Chinese authorities canceled a planned unveiling, citing safety concerns.

In a poster for the animal rights group PETA, the reigning 200-meter breaststroke champion appears naked in front of the U.S. flag and the slogan "Be comfortable in your own skin. Don't wear fur."

Jason Baker, an Asia-Pacific spokesman for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said the launch was "a bit more dramatic than we had planned" after Chinese security officials visited a hotel where an official news conference had been scheduled and shut down the event.

"From what I've been told from the hotel, the public security bureau showed up at midnight and told them our specific event had to be canceled for safety reasons, without going into any specifics," Baker said. "When I arrived at 8 a.m., there were public security officials in the press conference room we had booked."

The 26-year-old Beard, who has posed nude in men's magazines, said she decided to participate in the PETA campaign because she loved animals and was horrified to see how fur was produced for fashion in some places.

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