Triple jumper threatens Games boycott By Bob Amesse Two-time Bermuda Athlete of the Year Brian Wellman, the Island's best bet for a gold medal at next month's Pan-Am Games, may not compete because of a simmering dispute over funding.

Wellman, off to a flying start this year with three first place finishes and a personal best indoor mark, said yesterday that if the money matter was not settled by mid-February he would not be part of Bermuda's team heading to Argentina.

Reacting to Wellman's threat, Bermuda Olympic Association (BOA) president Austin Woods said that if the triple jumper did not travel to Argentina he would be prevented from competing at the 1996 Olympics.

"That choice is his,'' said Woods. "You don't go to the Pan-Am Games, you don't go to the Olympics, it's as simple as that. We have standards and one of the things we're saying is that in order for people to go to the Olympic Games they must attend regional games.'' Said Wellman, who is in Germany for a track meet on Sunday: "Some stuff needs to happen before I make a definite decision. It's been a real frustrating time with my financial situation.'' At the heart of the matter is Wellman's belief that he is not getting a fair share from the elite athletes' fund.

"I don't know what all the hold-ups are,'' he said. "Everybody's saying talk to somebody else. At this point in time I'm fed up. Delta doesn't take IOUs and the electric company shuts you off if you don't pay your bill. I have to pay bills just like everybody else.'' Wellman's anger is percolating at precisely the same time he is compiling some of the best jumps of his career. Last weekend he soared in Moscow with a 17.18 metre leap (56 feet) and two days later jumped 17.47 (57 feet, 33 inches) for a personal best and indoor record.

Although the mark bettered the 17.41 (57-11 ) record he set in Texas last year, it is not regarded as a Bermuda record because it wasn't achieved outdoors.

In his first meet of the year at Fayetteville, Arkansas, Wellman jumped 17.18 to set his January hat-trick in motion.

"I need to see some action,'' said the Commonwealth Games bronze medallist regarding the funding.

Wellman, staying at a friend's apartment in Stuttgart, complained of being burdened by skyrocketing travel costs, often in the range of thousands of dollars.

"I'm trying to do the best that I can to put the country on the map as well as myself and I think I've done a good job in the past five years,'' he said.

"It's not like I haven't shown just cause.

"I've broken the Bermuda national record five straight years. I don't know if people realise that.

"My jump on Sunday was the eighth best indoors in the world ever. The only people in front of me are Russians, Americans or from France. So there's only three countries that have a national indoor record better than Bermuda right now. You figure that out.'' Woods, however, placed the burden squarely on Wellman's shoulders, saying he had only himself to blame for the funding flap.

But the BOA president remained confident things could be ironed out in time for Wellman to compete in Argentina.

"Brian has no need to be upset,'' said Woods. "He was in Bermuda over the Christmas period, and he had every opportunity to clear things up. He received $5,000 from the BOA right after the Commonwealth Games and when he was home at Christmas he made some indication about what he was getting, what he was not getting.

"One of the things that we have to clarify when we are allocating money is that persons who are receiving sponsorship money, those persons on the circuit involving the Mobil track meets, that they do not get that mixed up with elite money,'' he added. "Elite money is specifically designed to assist the athletes so that they're not out of pocket when they are travelling on behalf of Bermuda.

"When they are travelling on behalf of their own individual quest and, yes, the country does gain... we have to ensure that there are not funds forwarded for those invitations they are getting, double billing so to speak.'' Woods said the the Bermuda Track and Field Association submitted "a slew of bills and documentation'' on Wellman's behalf two days ago. He said the BOA would meet on the matter next Tuesday.

"I think if Brian, through the BTFA, had sat down with the BOA when he was home at Christmas then he would not have been in the quandary that he's in now.

"Every time Brian goes off on a trip the same thing comes up,'' he added.

"It's not the first time I'm hearing this. We did that with (cyclist) Elliott Hubbard and there was no problem.

`But we'll do everything within our power to make sure Brian receives whatever contribution he needs.'' Despite the funding storm Wellman is hoping to extend his winning streak in Stuttgart on Sunday. The following week he'll compete at another event in Berlin before returning to Bermuda for the Athlete of the Year gala on February 16.

Before then he hopes to smash his new record.

"I tell people all the time my previous record (17.41) wasn't a true indication of what my potential was and I'm finally getting closer to that,'' he said. "I feel that I'm even better than a 17.47 jump. I can jump 58 feet indoors if the conditions are right.'' Brian Wellman