Court says no to athletes who sought Olympics OK

A federal appeals court Thursday rejected a bid by 25 American athletes who asked the court to order the US Olympic Committee to accept an invitation to attend the summer games in Moscow. A three-judge panel of the US Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia upheld a lower-court ruling dismissing the athletes' suit. Lawyers for the group said they will not appeal the order to the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the Japan Olympic Committee Thursday postponed a decision on whether to take part in the Moscow Olympics, but it agreed to send only potential medal winners if it eventually voted in favor of participation. A decision will be made saturday, the closing date for Moscow entries. The government said last month it would be undersirable for a Japanese team to go to Moscow as long as Soviet troops stayed in Afghanistan.