UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS RESEARCHER WAYNE OSNESS WILL TAKE A KEEN INTEREST IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE U.S. OLYMPIC ATHLETES AT THE GAMES BEGINNING THIS FRIDAY IN SALT LAKE CITY.

OSNESS IS THE DIRECTOR OF K-U'S FITNESS EVALUATION CLINIC AND THE INTERIM CHAIR OF THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, SPORT AND EXERCISE SCIENCES.

FROM 1984 TO 1992, HE SERVED ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD OF THE UNITED STATES OLYMPIC COMMITTEE. DURING HIS TENURE OSNESS WAS ONE OF SEVERAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS TO INVESTIGATE WHY COUNTRIES IN THE SO-CALLED RED BLOC WERE OUT-PERFORMING U.S. ATHLETES.

OSNESS SAYS HIS GROUP DISCOVERED THAT SOVIET AND RED BLOC COUNTRIES WERE USING RESEARCH ON TRAINING METHODS WHICH WAS CONDUCTED IN THE UNITED STATES.

Osness: "The Red Bloc countries were using a lot of the scientific data that was actually developed in this country. They were not putting very much money if any into the science of performance but yet they were really using that which was being done around the world." (16 sec.)

OSNESS SAYS U.S. OLYMPIC COACHES HAD RELIED ON MORE TRADITIONAL TRAINING METHODS. HE SAYS IT TOOK A MAJOR EDUCATIONAL CAMPAIGN TO GET THEM TO CHANGE.

Osness: "We first of all set up our scientific group at Colorado Springs and started collecting data that would be available to coaches and then had a massive campaign to educate the coaches for the need for this kind of information. It isn't just a matter of general training any more. It's much more specific than that." (15 sec.)

DURING HIS TENURE ON THE COMMITTEE OSNESS ALSO DEVELOPED AN EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR U. S. OLYMPIC ATHLETES, OFFERING THEM A CHANCE TO EARN COLLEGE CREDITS WHILE TRAINING. HE SAYS WE SOMETIMES FORGET THESE ATHLETES NEED AN EDUCATION.

Osness: "This is particularly true after the Olympic games and no one thought about what happens now. And so as a result of this project we had a reasonably good share of our athletes that had maybe a dozen credits or at least some thoughts as to what they wanted to do in the future." (16 sec.)

OSNESS ALSO WORKED ON A PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGN FOR THE NATION'S SCHOOLCHILDREN. IT WAS DESIGNED TO FOSTER THE OLYMPIC IDEAL AMONG THE KIDS.

Osness: "There's something about the Olympic games that addresses the true Olympic ideal, that is to be the best you can be, to play by the rules, to respect your fellow competitors. We hope that every youngster who picks up a bat and ball is affected by that Olympic ideal." (18 sec.)

SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE HAVE ADMITTED ACCEPTING CASH PAYMENTS AND OTHER BENEFITS TO INFLUENCE THEIR SELECTION OF SALT LAKE CITY FOR THE UPCOMING GAMES.

THE U.S. OLYMPIC COMMITTEE SETS A GIFT LIMIT OF $25 ON ITS MEMBERS. U-S-O-C MEMBERS ALSO HAVE A TERM LIMIT OF EIGHT YEARS. OSNESS SAYS THERE ARE NO SUCH CONTROLS ON MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE.

Osness: "If you're there forever, that creates a little bit of a problem with control. I could see some of these things happening when I was there and dealing with International Committee members. They simply expected when they went somewhere to be given gifts and to be treated royally." (17 sec.)

OSNESS IS CONFIDENT THAT SECURITY MEASURES IN SALT LAKE CITY WILL PREVENT A LARGE ®SCALE TERRORIST ATTACK. HE SAYS AN ISOLATED INCIDENT, SUCH AS THE BOMBING AT THE 1996 SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES IN ATLANTA WHICH KILLED ONE PERSON AND INJURED ONE-HUNDRED OTHERS IS ALSO UNLIKELY.

Osness: "I would be surprised if anything happened at these games, even like what happened at Atlanta, although that's a possibility." (7 sec.)

THOUGH TESTING METHODS ARE IMPROVING, OSNESS SAYS DRUG TESTING ALONE WON'T STOP THE USE OF STEROIDS AND PERFORMANCE ENHANCING DRUGS AMONG OLYMPIC ATHLETES. HE BELIEVES THE ATHLETES AND COACHES MUST POLICE THEMSELVES. IF NOT, HE SAYS THE OLYMPIC IDEAL OF A LEVEL PLAYING FIELD, AND THE GAMES THEMSELVES WILL BE THREATENED.