Lake Placid, NY, Jan 08, 2010 — Iraq has never sent an athlete to the Winter Olympics. Back in 2005, before the games in Torino, Italy, Brian Mann profiled skeleton sled racer Faisal Gazi Faisal, from Baghdad. Once again this year, Faisal is fighting to win a berth at next month's Winter Games in Vancouver. Brian caught up with him in Lake Placid and found that his struggles and setbacks have mirrored the turmoil back home in Iraq.  Go to full article

Apr 28, 2006 — The board of the Lake Placid-based U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation voted Tuesday to accept a temporary takeover by the U.S. Olympic Committee. The move follows a turbulent winter. The federation was hit hard by sexual harassment allegations against former skeleton coach Tim Nardiello, who lives in Lake Placid, and the drug-related suspension of men's skeleton racer Zach Lund for a banned substance in a hair-restoration product he was using. USOC spokesman Darryl Seibel told the Associated Press that this was "a significant step" adding, "We want to see a governance and managerial structure that better serves the sport." This marks only the second time the USOC has been pushed to the drastic step of essentially taking over a sport's governing body. The other time was with the U.S. Taekwondo Union in 2004. Brian Mann spoke yesterday with the federation's interim executive director Terry Kent.  Go to full article

Jan 25, 2006 — The US Olympic Committee says Lake Placid skeleton coach Tim Nardiello won't be allowed to coach the American sled team at next month's Winter Games in Turin, Italy. The decision effectively reversed the ruling of an independent arbitrator, who had ruled that sexual harassment charges against Nardiello were unsubstantiated. As Brian Mann reports, Olympic officials were also harshly critical of the Lake Placid based US Bobsled and Skeleton Federation  Go to full article

Jan 24, 2006 — An arbitrator in Albany says Lake Placid Olympic coach Tim Nardiello should be allowed to return to his job with the U.S. Skeleton team. The decision found no evidence that Nardiello sexually harassed women athletes. As Brian Mann reports, the decision could clear the way for Nardiello to coach the team at next month's Olympic games in Italy.  Go to full article

Jan 23, 2006 — An arbitrator could decide as early as today whether Lake Placid coach Tim Nardiello should return to the US Olympic skeleton team. Meanwhile, the Lake Placid-based sled Federation has replaced its executive director just weeks before the Olympic games in Turin, Italy. Brian Mann has details.  Go to full article

Jan 16, 2006 — The U-S women's "skeleton team" struggled on Friday at World Cup qualifier races in Germany. Competing without head coach Tim Nardiello, only one American woman finished in the top-ten. As Brian Mann reports, that wasn't good enough to win a spot for a second American athlete at next month's Winter Olympics in Turin Italy.  Go to full article

Jan 11, 2006 — A judge in Elizabethtown refused yesterday to reinstate Olympic sled coach Tim Nardiello. Nardiello, who lives in Lake Placid, has denied charges of sexual harassment and inappropriate touching. The team now faces more turmoil. Top-ranked skeleton sled racer Zach Lund has been suspended for using a banned hair restoration product that can mask steroid use. As Brian Mann reports, Lund says he's the victim of an honest mistake.  Go to full article

Jan 05, 2006 — The U-S Bobsled and Skeleton Federation decided last night that coach Tim Nardiello won't travel with the team today for World Cup races in Germany. The Lake Placid-based Federation is investigating sexual harassment charges. Nardiello's attorney, Jim Brooks, says he'll take the case to court. Brian Mann has details.  Go to full article

Jan 04, 2006 — Just thirty-six days before the Winter Olympics open in Turin, Italy, the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation has suspended one of the team's top coaches. Female athletes have accused Lake Placid native Tim Nardiello of sexual harrassment. Nardiello has denied the charges and has called on the Federation to resolve the dispute quickly. As Brian Mann reports, the case has thrown into turmoil a program that accounted for a third of America's gold medals in the last Winter Olympics.  Go to full article

Jan 02, 2006 — National skeleton sled team coach Tim Nardiello has been accused of sexual harassment by several female team members. Martha Foley reports.  Go to full article