Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, January 7, 1994 TAG: 9401070135
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B6 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: From Associated Press reports
DATELINE: DETROIT LENGTH: Medium
Kerrigan, whose right knee was severely bruised, was taken to a hospital for X-rays, then released. She was resting in her hotel room several hours later. The skater also has a bruised quadriceps tendon, an injury that would impede her jumping and landing ability.
It was the second attack on a major athlete in less than a year. In April, Monica Seles was stabbed during a tennis match in Germany and still can not compete; her agent, International Management Group, announced Thursday she is not in shape to compete and would miss the Australian Open, which runs Jan. 17-30.
"It is extremely difficult for me to miss another Grand Slam tournament, but I won't be ready to play in the Australian Open this year," Seles said in a statement released by her representatives, International Management Group.
No decision was made Thursday on whether Kerrigan, 24, would be able to skate in today's technical program or Saturday's free skate at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships. Jerry Solomon, her agent, said she was scheduled for a practice session late Thursday, but he did not know if she would attend.
"She sustained quite a blow, not only physically but mentally," he said.
U.S. figure skating rules preclude a competitor from being selected for the Olympic team if the athlete doesn't participate in the national championships and did not win a medal in the previous world championships. The rules were changed after 1992, when then two-time national champion Todd Eldredge withdrew from the U.S. championships with a back injury but was selected for the Albertville Olympics anyway.
The top two finishers at nationals qualify for next month's Olympics at Lillehammer, Norway.
"Nancy knows the rules and wants to remain within the rules," Solomon said.
Dr. Ralph Hale, the U.S. Olympic committee vice president and head of the Games preparation commission, said the USOC would take its cue from the federation regarding a skater's eligibility. But he admitted if the USFSA petitioned to have Kerrigan placed on the team because of extraordinary circumstances, "we would be hard-pressed not to listen earnestly to the needs of her federation."
Dr. Steven Plomaritis, who examined Kerrigan, said there was no fracture and "there is a chance she'll participate. There's also a chance the discomfort could preclude her from participating at her capacity."
Kerrigan had just left the ice after practice when she stopped to talk to Dana Scarton, a reporter from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. While they were talking, the man ran up to Kerrigan and struck her with the instrument. Scarton said it could have been a wooden club or a crowbar.
Kerrigan fell to the ground and her father, Daniel, then carried her away from the scene at Cobo Arena. "It hurts so bad, it hurts so bad," she said.
The assailant escaped by using the instrument to smash a Plexiglas door, which was chained shut, and disappeared into a crowd. The arena is the site of the Detroit International Auto Show and hundreds of people were in the vicinity.
"We have a description of the person and the police department is working very diligently to apprehend that person," said Cliff Russell, press secretary for Detroit mayor Dennis Archer. "He is a 6-foot white male wearing a black hat, black jacket, black shirt, white or tan pants."
Russell said the area where Kerrigan was attacked was not the responsibility of the police department.
"This was an area that security was provided by the ice skating people," Russell said.
The U.S. Figure Skating Championships are being held next door to Cobo Arena at Joe Louis Arena.
Joan Ryan, a reporter for the San Francisco Examiner, said there was virtually no security at the practice site and that reporters were able to enter the area without being checked. A private firm called Crowd Management is in charge of security at the arena. A supervisor said the company had no comment on the attack.
Kathy Stuart, a skating coach, said she saw the man videotaping the practice session. She said he was "sweating a lot," but he also appeared to be wearing a credential.
Kerrigan's coach, Evy Scotvold, said, "I heard screaming when I was walking away from the ice. All I could think of was, `Where's Nancy?' I thought she was OK because she was not on the ice. But sure enough, it was her. Great security."
Memo: shorter version ran in the Metro edition.