President Bush tells athletes from U.S. he is "fired up" for Olympics

WASHINGTON — With the Olympics less than three weeks away, the issue of whether to attend the opening ceremony Aug. 8 remains fraught with symbolism and sensitivity for many world leaders. But President Bush reiterated his decision to take part with unbridled enthusiasm Monday, telling a delegation of Beijing-bound U.S. Olympians and Paralympians, "I'm fired up to go."

The remark was met with warm laughter from the roughly two dozen members of the U.S. Olympic team who were invited to the White House for an official send-off that included a tour of the Oval Office on Monday morning and a formal dinner in the evening.

"I can't wait to salute our athletes," Bush said. "And I can't wait to share the joy of your triumphs."

Bush used the occasion to underscore the power of sports to unite people.

He congratulated the Olympians and expressed confidence they would convey the nation's most cherished values and represent its character in Beijing, hailing them as "ambassadors of liberty" and "ambassadors of goodwill."

Jones has asked Bush

to commute her sentence

WASHINGTON — Marion Jones, who won five medals in track and field at the 2000 Sydney Games, has asked President Bush to commute her six-month prison sentence for lying to federal agents about her use of performance-enhancing drugs and a check-fraud scam.

The Justice Department confirmed Jones is among hundreds of convicted felons who have applied for presidential pardons or sentence commutations.

It is unclear when Jones, 32, made the request. She entered prison March 7 in Fort Worth, Texas.

Notes

• Retired gymnast Dominique Moceanu, a 1996 gold medalist, said former U.S. coach Martha Karolyi should be removed from her role as national-team coordinator, and that other athletes — past and present — agree with her.

In an interview scheduled to air tonight on HBO's "Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel," Moceanu criticized Karolyi and her husband, Bela Karolyi, for their strict training regimen and diet restrictions. The Karolyis retired after the Americans won the gold medal in 1996, but Martha has overseen the U.S. women's team since 2001.

• Kevin Tan, 26, was named captain of the U.S. men's gymnastics team.

• American Abby Wambach, 28, who broke her leg in a match last week and won't compete in Beijing, said she hopes to recover in time for the debut of the Women's Professional Soccer league in the spring.