USOC won't let Nardiello coach

The U.S. Olympic Committee will not allow Tim Nardiello to coach the American skeleton team at next month's Turin Games, despite his reinstatement by the sport's national governing body after an arbitrator found no evidence to support claims he sexually harassed two team members.

The USOC said its investigation found that Nardiello failed to exercise appropriate judgment with his athletes, violated ethical codes and the USOC Code of Conduct. It also said that the U.S. Bobsled and Skeleton Federation planned to fire Nardiello after the Olympics.

"It is our belief there has been a pattern of conduct on the part of Mr. Nardiello that simply does not meet the standard of what is acceptable for a coach with the United States Olympic Team," said Jim Scherr, the USOC's chief executive officer.

Nardiello declined comment after learning of the ruling.

ANNAN WANTS TRUCE: In Lausanne, Switzerland, U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan urged all groups engaged in armed conflict to respect an "Olympic Truce" during next month's Turin Games.

The truce would offer warring parties "a chance to pause and reflect and look around them and see how they are destroying their communities, and proudly think of other options," Annan said after a meeting with IOC president Jacques Rogge.

The origins of the truce come from the ancient Greek tradition of ekecheiria, or "Olympic truce," declared to stop war between the sides of participating athletes and ensure safety throughout the duration of the games.