BRIEFLY USOC `HURTING ATHLETES'.

Byline: Daily News Staff and Wire Services

The U.S. Olympic Committee's inefficiency is hurting American athletes by depriving them of money needed to pursue their dreams, a major corporate sponsor told a Senate committee Thursday.

``Clearly, the USOC has lost its way,'' David D'Alessandro, chief executive of John Hancock Financial Services, told the Senate Commerce Committee, which is considering changes to the law that governs the U.S. Olympic movement.

``Every dollar that the USOC wastes on its bureaucracy or misguided self-indulgence is a dollar not spent giving a child an opportunity,'' said D'Alessandro, whose company has made a 10-year, $100 million commitment to the USOC.

Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republican who is chairman of the Commerce Committee, wants a task force of outside experts and Olympic committee members to recommend changes to the 1978 Amateur Sports Act.

Also Thursday, Sen. Barbara Boxer, a California Democrat, criticized Ward for defending his membership in the all-male Augusta National Golf Club. Boxer said Ward's membership appears to be ``contrary to the spirit of the Olympic Games.''

--Advertising flights over stadiums would be banned from one hour before an event to one hour after under a bill adopted by the House of Representatives.

The provision, part of a spending bill, was sought by the NFL, Major League Baseball, the University of Michigan and others.

The Senate was expected to pass the bill today and send it to President Bush for his signature.

Flights and blimps for broadcast coverage of sporting events would continue to be allowed, as well as regular commercial flights cleared by air-traffic controllers.

FOOTBALL: Former USC star running backs Ricky Bell and Anthony Davis, end Marlin McKeever, defensive back Dennis Thurman and tight end Charles Young are among the 77 player and six coaching candidates on the 2003 ballot for induction into the College Football Hall of Fame.

The class will be announced next month and inducted into the Hall in December.

All but McKeever (1958-60) played for USC during the 1970s. Bell led the nation in rushing in 1975, was third in the Heisman balloting that season and second in 1976. Davis, the former San Fernando High star, was the Heisman runner-up in 1974 as a senior. Thurman (1974-77) was a two-time All-American and Young (1970-72) was All-American as a senior.

Former Heisman Trophy winners John Huarte, Barry Sanders and Andre Ware also are on the ballot.

HOCKEY: Hayley Wickenheiser, the highest scorer in Canadian women's history, assisted on a goal in Kirkkonummi Salamat's 10-3 victory over Aakoo in the second division of Finland's elite men's league. She has a goal and three assists in seven games with Salamat.

SKIING: Sweden's Anja Paerson won the giant slalom at the world championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland, finishing 1.55 seconds ahead of Italy's Denise Karbon.

Olympic champion Janica Kostelic of Croatia was 13th, severely bruising her arm and hurting her shoulder blade when she clipped a gate.

SOCCER: Iraq national team coach Bernd Stange said he planned to leave the country because of the possibility of war.

BASKETBALL: Officials from the University of Michigan will present their case to an eight-member NCAA committee today in Florida as a hearing on infractions against the school's basketball team from 1996 are heard. It will take up to eight weeks for the NCAA to announce whether Michigan's self-imposed sanctions are enough.

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RICKY BELL

Former USC star one of five Trojans on ballot for College Football Hall of Fame.