DENVER - Three Paralympic athletes filed a federal discrimination lawsuit against the U.S. Olympic Committee on Monday, saying the organization gives better benefits to Olympic athletes and is violating disabilities law. <br>
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Attorneys for wheelchair athletes Scot Hollonbeck of Atlanta, Tony Inguez of Aurora, Ill., and Jacob Heiveil of Bothell, Wash., said the USOC violated federal law by not providing equitable benefits to Paralympians. <br>
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The benefits include health insurance, grants, help with living expenses and opportunities to promote the Paralympics. <br>
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The suit seeks unspecified compensatory damages. <br>
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The lawsuit said the USOC isn't complying with the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act, and has hurt the Paralympic program by failing to hold up its end of a contract with Vie Sports Marketing. Hollonbeck helped form Vie after the USOC decided to organize the Paralympics into a single brand for marketing purposes in 2000. <br>
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Jeff Benz, general counsel for the USOC, said Vie had been paid more than $400,000 and failed to sign a single sponsorship. <br>
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The focus of the lawsuit is funding for Paralympians. The USOC spends $3.75 million annually and about 3 percent of its quadrennial budget of $491.5 million on its Paralympic program. <br>
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USOC spokesman Darryl Seibel said the organization does more for Paralympic athletes than any other nation. He said funding for U.S. Paralympics was increased 100 percent from the previous budget to $15 million for 2001-04. <br>
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Benz said federal law does not require that as much money be spent on Paralympians as on Olympians, but said he had not seen a copy of the lawsuit and couldn't comment specifically. <br>
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Benz said the USOC has spent considerable money and time improving conditions for Paralympians in the past 18 months, including better coaches and setting up the first designated Paralympic training center. <br>
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The number of athletes participating in Paralympic Games has increased steadily. In 1960 in Rome, there were 400 athletes; in Sydney, there were 3,800 from 122 countries.
