News & Views

US Olympic Hopeful Does A Bad Thing At 35,000 Feet

Sandy Vietze urinating on airplaneSandy Vietze, 18, was an elite member of the US Ski Team developmental squad, in preparation for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. He had been training at Mount Hood (Oregon).

Now, he is a former member of the team.

Last week, while lounging at the Portland International Airport, Vietze, by his own admission, drank eight alcoholic beverages. This all took place prior to boarding an overnight fight to New York.

During the eastbound JetBlue red eye, Vietze staggered toward the restroom, but stopped and treated an 11-year-old girl as his personal urinal. 

Vietze had an interesting explanation for the police after the flight. 

"I was drunk and I did not realize that I was pissing on her leg," explained the skier.  

Vietze, who refused to apologize and expressed no remorse for his actions, returned to his family's palatial Vermont estate. He was charged in a federal summons for indecent exposure, but the charges have since been dropped because the victim’s family did not let her talk to authorities.

At least the US Ski Team took action against Vietze.

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Bruce has traveled the world, both working for and covering a wide array of the sports world’s greatest events. Below is a sampling of the level of experience and perspective he brings to ifollosports.com.

OLYMPIC GAMES:  
Munich 1972, Montreal 1976, Los Angeles 1984, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Salt Lake City 2002, Beijing 2008     
*Editor of the Official Report of the 1984 Olympic Games

PAN AMERICAN GAMES:   
Caracas 1983, Indianapolis 1987, Havana 1991, Mar del Plata 1995, Winnipeg 1999



WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES:   
Zagreb 1987, Duisberg 1989, Sheffield 1991, Buffalo 1993, Fukuoka 1995, Sicily 1997, Palma de Mallorca 1999 

USA TRACK AND FIELD:     
World Championships (Helsinki 1983), World Junior Championships (Athens 1986), World Cup (Rome 1981), World Cup (Havana 1992), Pan American Junior Championships (Barqisimeto 1982, Orlando 1986)  Editor of USATF annual calendar project (1980-1991) and Cross Country handbook (1979-1991) 

WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: 
World Baseball Classics in 2006 and 2009.

ASSOCIATED PRESS     
Correspondent covering the Los Angeles Lakers and UCLA Bruins basketball, track and field, and swimming 1977-1989
  

A California native, Bruce is a 
graduate of UCLA and resides in Venice Beach.

 

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