Many of their parents' feelings of pride have turned to confusion, frustration and disgust. The most outspoken of those contacted yesterday was Frank Van Haute, father of points-race competitor Danny Van Haute. He said his son apparently supplied the impetus for the "blood enhancement."
"I don't know why it took so long for this to come out," the elder Van Haute said from his home in Chicago. "I was out there in Los Angeles for the Games. Everybody knew about it. From what I understand, if you didn't do it, you wouldn't be on the team."
The elder Van Haute supplied Danny's phone number, but he wasn't available for comment. Neither were the other implicated medalists. But Van Haute's father explained that Danny first had learned of the procedure during a trip to Poland with the Junior Team.
So before the Olympic Trials on July 7 in Colorado Springs, the younger Van Haute arranged privately to have some of his blood removed and stored. Several days before the Trials, he had it re-infused.
The younger Van Haute went on to win the points race in the Trials. But he didn't participate in the controversial "blood enhancing" procedure, which used the blood of relatives several days before the Games, according to statements made early this week by Team Physician Dr. Thomas Dickson of Allentown.
"When Danny came back from a trip to Poland with the National Junior Team several years ago, he told me all about it," the elder Van Haute said. "All of the Eastern Bloc riders were using 'blood doping.' I think that's where (National Coaching Director) Eddie B (Borysewicz) first got the idea. He was managing the boys. But I heard nothing about it for a long time afterwards. But in Los Angeles everybody knew. The whole USCF knew."
Borysewicz, once again, was unavailable for comment at the U.S. Cycling Federation Center in Colorado Springs, Colo.
"From what I understand, most of the guys did it," the elder Van Haute said. "But I don't think any of the girls did. It all took place in a motel room. Danny wasn't involved. He was kinda scared of the whole thing. He wasn't sure about taking someone elses blood.
"But I don't understand why everyone is making such a big thing out of this. I don't know anybody taking dope. Everyone was tested for that during the Olympics. Everyone passed.
"I just don't understand why all the guys (competitors) are being blamed. I don't think that's right. Some one from the USCF and the coaching staff should take some responsibility."
And they are.
"I and our attorneys (Brian Geddes and Barton Enoch of Colorado Springs, Colo.) will issue a report at the next board meeting (Jan. 18-20 in Colorado Springs)," USCF Executive Director David Prouty said yesterday. "The board will then make a statement and judgement. Generally speaking, it's fair to say we do not condone it (blood enhancement). We have compared notes with the United States Olympic Committee and they've been very co-operative.
"Eddie Borysewicz is not suspended. Again, that gets to the substance of the issue, and I'd rather not go into it. The board will review that issue during the meeting.
"That's what is so regrettable about this publicity. I hope the people study the issue on the merits of what happened. I hope they just don't react to the media. I regret that the publicity was premature. We would have liked to conclude the investigation without being in a fishbowl."
F. Don Miller, executive director of the USOC, said it was "probably the feeling of the U.S. Olympic Committee" that the problem was created by trainers, coaches, and doctors. He believed the riders shouldn't be forced to give up their medals.
Miller said Dr. Irving Dardik, chairman of the USOC's Sports Medicine Council, was leading an investigation of the incident. The report will be submitted to USOC President William E. Simon.
"These athletes are under tremendous pressures applied to them by their coaches and by their peers," Dardik told the Associated Press in an interview from his Basking Ridge, N.J., office. "There's a fear that if they don't win, they'll be letting everyone down."