TOP TRACK STARS SKIP NATIONALS FOR NIKE'S MEETS

          Because of a scheduling conflict with two Australian
     meets run by Nike, top U.S. sprinters "are going to be on
     the other side of the globe" when the U.S. National Indoor
     Track and Field Championships are held next week in Atlanta,
     according to Ben Weber of the N.Y. POST.  Nike will feature
     their athletes, in a series of Australian meets to "preview"
     the 2000 Games, around the same time of the U.S. Nationals. 
     Nike's Jim Small said the scheduling "isn't the greatest,"
     while USATF Dir Craig Masbeck said that the  conflict "stems
     from a lack of communication" between USATF and Nike. 
     Masbeck: "I'm sure it wasn't intentional and it will never
     happen again."  Weber: "There needs to be a single governing
     body over track in this country with the power to make sure
     things like this never happen. ... USATF has to find a way
     to work with corporate America" (N.Y. POST, 2/23).