OLYMPICS / Barcelona 1992: Let's work together

THE break-up of the Soviet Union might not spell the end of Olympic success. The 12 republics of the Unified Team are already planning to co-operate in training, Vitaly Smirnov, a Russian vice-president of the International Olympic Committee, said, even though from now on they will be competing as separate teams.

A series of inter-republic championships are to be set up, and republics will be able to get guidance from Russia's six sports science institutes. But medals will no longer come in every sport. 'We will have to look at certain events where we were not very successful. We cannot pay money for nothing,' Smirnov said.