By Jaime Aron, Ap Sports Writer. Yahoo! Wednesday September 13 10:36 PM ET
SYDNEY, Australia (AP) - Kayaker Angel Perez, who competed for Cuba in the 1992 Olympics, has lost another appeal in his bid to represent the United States in Sydney.
The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Wednesday became the latest panel to reject Perez's eligibility because he's been a U.S. citizen less than a year, far short of the three years mandated by the International Olympic Committee.
The U.S. Olympic Committee counters that Perez has been a U.S. national since defecting in 1993. Officials note that Perez, who lives in Miami, sat out three years before beginning to compete as an American in 1997.
"In their own bylaws, the IOC makes a distinction between a national and a citizen,'' said Norm Blake, chief executive of the USOC. "If we can demonstrate as a matter of fact that he was a U.S. national, then he's an eligible athlete.''
But the CAS was as strong in rejecting the appeal.
"The existing rule is clear,'' the decision said.
CAS said there was "no rule of `fairness''' in the determining who can compete and that a "straightforward reading'' of Olympic bylaws showed that allowing Perez in would violate the rules.
Blake said another attack was being prepared for the IOC and-or the CAS.
"Realistically, we have about a 24-hour window here,'' Blake said. "We've got bullets left and I'm going to exhaust the chamber and go down fighting. We're cautiously optimistic that we'll prevail.''
Blake said Perez was in tears when they discussed the latest setback.
"He's proud of being an American,'' Blake said. "His wife is an American, his son was born here, he's competed for the country internationally with U.S. travel documents. He's done everything you would ask of a proud American, yet he's being denied an opportunity.''
If Perez loses, the other three members of his four-man kayak entry could be out of luck, too. Rules call for the entire entry to be booted, although the U.S. could seek permission to replace only Perez.
Perez has been ranked among the top two in the United States since resuming competition in 1997. He made the Olympic team in the trials in June, then the problems began.
The International Canoe Federation says athletes can change countries as long as they have had citizenship for three years or have the approval of their former country.
USOC officials visited Cuba in July to seek their permission to allow Perez to compete. They gave a resounding no. Coming on the heels of the Elian Gonzalez saga, Perez's timing couldn't have been worse. | 