Word: amateurs
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Dates: during 1970-1979
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...years, the gap between rhetoric and reality in international amateur athletics has bred hypocrisy and, periodically, scandal. While demanding lip service to an impracticable ideal, the amateur system has left American athletes to fend for themselves in a degrading world of under-the-table payoffs and over-the-table handouts. To support themselves during the rigors of year-round training, many Olympians have accepted deals from manufacturers and fees for appearing in track and field meets, hiding their earnings from Olympic, Amateur Athletic Union and international sports federation officials. In the process, many have concealed their incomes from the Internal...
...roster that is a virtual roll call of American Olympians-have been subpoenaed. Stones denies any wrongdoing. Says he: "They're just after me because I've been in the papers more than anybody else." Still, the investigation is expected to spread to other prominent amateur athletes during the coming months, raising fears that the reputations-and perhaps the Olympic eligibility-of most world-class American track and field stars could be destroyed...
...American runner stood on the victory stand after a track meet in Europe and received a medal and an envelope. The envelope contained a cash "appearance fee"-remuneration for showing up to compete in the event-and the provider was a member of the host country's amateur federation. An American track-meet promoter, anxious to lure a top dash man to his indoor meet to increase the gate, called a speedster and promised him $800 plus expenses for joining the field. But two meets were scheduled on the opposite coast for the same weekend, and the sprinter...
Cash and Carry. Some athletes, fearful that IRS records could be used to revoke their eligibility, play a dangerous game of concealment from Government, as well as amateur, officials. As one former Olympian explains, "If it's all done in cash, who's going to trace it? I never used to deposit the money in a checking account. I always put it in safe-deposit boxes because of the IRS. I always paid cash for everything." Another athlete admits that he did not file tax returns on his track earnings. Says he: "I felt the AAU would find...
...investigation against Stones has the amateurs sprinting to tax lawyers. From them, some of the athletes have discovered for the first time that IRS records are confidential and not available to rival promoters or amateur officials. Says one track man, now suddenly wiser: "The IRS doesn't care about amateurism; they just want their cut. I'm going to file from now on." Haydon agrees. "It's not a good idea to hide money from the IRS," he says. "The underworld figured that out a long time...