BARCELONA ’92 OLYMPICS : A STORY THAT IS ONLY WARMING UP

Having survived debate over their participation, hotel accommodations and Charles Barkley, the Dream Team has moved on to its newest controversy:

Michael Jordan is suggesting he won’t climb the victory stand.

Victors are obliged by the U.S. Olympic Committee to wear Reebok warm-ups on the stand. Jordan endorses rival Nike.

The USOC sends athletes a release to sign, advising them in advance.

Jordan says he signed but. . . .

“I crossed out No. 14,” he said Wednesday.

“I mean, when that time comes, you know what I’m going to do. Let’s just win the gold medal first. If everybody steps up on the stand with Reebok on, that’s their choice. That doesn’t mean I have to go with them.

“We’ve talked about it a lot. Some players are in favor, some players are not. I’m the head honcho for ‘not.’

“I don’t believe in endorsing my competitor. . . . It’s like asking you to leave your dad.”

Four other U.S. players have endorsement contracts with Nike.

One of those is Barkley, who said: “I know I’ll get blamed for this somehow.”

This a daily roundup of Olympic-related items from reporters in Barcelona from the Los Angeles Times, Newsday, Baltimore Sun and Hartford Courant, all Times-Mirror newspapers.