European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 14, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 26 b the stars and stripes Friday february 14, 1992ex-Stasi spy now in Driver s seat by Stephen k1nzer the new York times Bonn Germany a when the German four Man bobsled team starts its run Down the icy course at la Plagne France on feb. 21, the Man driving the sled will be a former secret police informer who once spied on his three teammates. The Driver Harald Ciudaj recently admitted that he was one of the hundreds of thousands of people in the former Winter olympics East Germany who worked As an informer for the hated and feared secret police the Stasi. Quot i was no hero a Ciudaj admitted in an interview this week. A i know that 1 am morally  practically every important institution in Germany including churches universities and political parties has already been shaken by such admissions. Many germans have been expecting the scandal to in god into the world of sports and the pm maj Case suggests that it has. A i knew this was going to happen sooner or later a said Walther Troger Secretary of the German olympic committee. A a lot is going to be dug  in recent weeks several sports stars from Eastern Germany have admitted that they were Stasi informers. Ciudaj however is the first member of the olympic team to confess. He did so after being identified by a Dresden newspaper. Few germans Are surprised to learn that the Stasi spied on athletes. It was widely understood Here that East German teams rarely if Ever travelled abroad without Stasi informers. Still Many Are shocked when they learn that the informers included some of their country a most prominent sports heroes. Like Many former informers Ciudaj has said he was pressured into collaborating with the Stasi. According to his account he was slopped by the police while driving drunk one Day in 1988 and was later told that he would be prosecuted and banned from future Competition unless he agreed to become an informer. Soon afterwards he said he began to prepare and submit reports on his teammates and coaches. He said the reports included information about their private lives As Well As their political opinions. Like nearly everyone who has been unmasked As a former Stasi informer Ciudaj has insisted that none of his reports Ever resulted in harm being done to anyone. As an informer however he had no direct knowledge of How his reports were used. Soon after the Shock of Cru Daji a confession wore off the three men with whom he rides in his bobsled announced that they supported him. Others on the olympic team also expressed sympathy. Bobsled at speeds approaching 90 Mph two Man and four Man died race Down an icy curved track. Fastest combined time of four runs wins. The Start watch for an explosive Start. Standing 50 meters behind the starting line the Driver and his brakeman and two pushers in the four Man Rock their bodies and the sled Back and Forth in unison then throw the sled Forward. A tenth of a second saved pushing can translate into a third of a second off the run time. The Crew and sled some Sec Are More Bullet shaped this ear without brakeman once Over the finish line pulls Metal arms that lower a saw toothed Brake. Braking during a run is an immediate disqualification. Driver looks for and steers the fastest route using a rope Pulley system. The ropes barely have to be moved to affect the direction of the sied. Best results Are when the Crew remains still and the Driver jets the sled do the work for him feb. 15,16, 21,22 two and four Mart evants articulation allows front of sled flexibility to react independently of the rear. Runners design varies depending on the weather. Shape is Flat for warmer weather and curved Tor colder. Crewmen push the sled at Start jump in and mostly stay still although will Bob Forward with brakeman and Driver on the Straightaway to help the sled jump Forward. Downhill line sled Speed is by three factors weight air resistance and friction. Only technical aspects length weight Etc. Are regulated. Sleds can be any shape shoe covers Over the shoes Are illegal. Teams in past races put substances on runners to go taster. Now they Are exposed. A a bobsled and luge athletes want to enter and leave each turn precisely and smoothly. Too High wastes time too Low cuts momentum. Rocking Side to Side cuts time. A a Crew experiences a forces in turns As much As four times the Force of Gravity. Gold medallist Driver in italics two Man bobsled 1932 Usa Hubert Stevens 1936 Usa Ivan Brown 1948 Switzerland Felix Endich 1952 Germany Andreas Ostler 1956 Italy Lamberto Dalla Costa 1960 not held 1964 great Britain Anthony Nash 1968 Italy Eugenio Monti 1972 Germany Wolfgang Zimmerer 1976 Cdr Meinhard Nehmer 1980 Switzerland Erich Scharer 1964 Cdr Wolfgang Hoppe 1988  Janis Kip ours i four Man bobsled 1924 Switzerland Eduard Scherrer 1928 Usa William Fiske 1932 Usa William Fiske 1936 Switzerland Pierre Musy 1948 Usa Francis Tyler 1952 Germany Andreas Ostler 1956 Switzerland Franz Kapus 1960 not held 1964 Canada Victor Emery 1968 Italy Eugenio Monti 1972 Switzerland Jean Wicki 1976 Cdr Meinhard Nehmer 1980 Cdr Meinhard Nehmer 1984 Cdr Wolfgang Hoppe 1988 us Ekkehard Fasser sources . Bobsled and Skeleton federation . Luge association Alberta Amateur luge association the Complete Book of the olympics us. Olympic committee the olympics Facebook lbs spor Stomba predicts double medal performance a Estrere Italy a Alberto Tomba does no to expect to be partying in Albertville next week. Impossible you say a Low profile a la Bombay its True Tomba intends to win two medals when he gets to France and the defending double medallist says that a no cause for Celebration. A lately 1 have been toasting defeats rather than wins to avoid too much Celebration a Tomba said thursday when a group of reporters left the olympic Sites in France to go Chat with Italy Stop skier. A i am in great form very confident a Tomba continued. A fans like skiers who take risks and i will throw myself Down the slopes without psychological problems without any fear. I will seek two titles but i could be satisfied with one and a half a that s one Gold and one Silver a the 25-year-old italian a slalom and giant slalom Champion in Calgary four years ago goes after Gold in the same olympic disciplines in Vai dts Ere next week. A Back to Back olympic Triumph is unprecedented in menus Alpine skiing and Tomba emphasized he loves to be the no. 1. A being at the top is my favorite position a he said. Tomba who is completing his olympic preparation in this North italian resort said his opponents would have Little chances of Victory a if the courses Are Well  Tomba listed Paul Accola of Switzerland As one. Of his toughest opponents in slalom and giant slalom although Accola did poorly in the olympic downhill and combined events this week. A perhaps he was too tense but i expect him to fight Back next week. Norwegian skiers Paul and Marc Girardell Iare the men i will have to beware a Tomba said. Quot however i feel stronger than four years ago. With some Good Luck and a Low starting number f can win both races a the italian skier begins action in Val do Sere in tuesdays giant slalom. He will then Start in the slalom on the final olympic saturday. Tomba whose pictures made the front Page in several italian magazines this week said a everybody expects Gold medals from me now. Tomba is the name in the news these  a if i fail 1 will have to show the two medals i have won in Calgary a Tomba joked. Tomba has been training slalom and giant slalom daily Here in the Western Alps avoiding the pressure of the Media and of fans at the olympic Sites in France. A i never saw the olympic course in Val dts Ere but it will be enough to inspect it the Day before the race a Tomba said a i Hope its better prepared than for the combined. I could see the holes and bumps on television a Tomba also announced that he will run a world cup super giant slalom race in Morioka Japan at the end of february. Super a is a Speed race that Tomba has not raced since suffering a shoulder fracture in that discipline in Val dts Ere two years ago. Tomba said he wanted to test the japanese course which will Host the 1993 world championships. A i will be Able to enjoy myself and also take a few risks at the end of the olympics a Tomba said