ESPN Olympic Sports

HELSINKI, Finland -- Defending world 200-meter champion John Capel criticized unspecified younger sprinters on the U.S. team for their reaction to a hazing incident at the world track and field championships, calling them "a bunch of little punks."

The often-outspoken Capel made the comments when questioned about rumors of a dispute.

"We went out to eat one day and we told all the younger guys ... they have to go get us sodas," Capel said after he won his second-round heat in the 200. "Some of them took it that we were bullying them and they went and called their moms or whatever, a bunch of little punks."

Those who were told to serve the older ones, Capel said, were under the age of 24, although 23-year-old Justin Gatlin was not included.

"We gave him a bye because he's the Olympic champion," Capel said.

Responded Gatlin: "Yeah, lucky me, right?"

Capel, 26, did not name any names. Two young sprinters in the 200 -- 20-year-old Wallace Spearmon and 23-year-old Tyson Gay, both ex-Arkansas runners moved out of the athletes' village Monday, the day before their competition began, as is their custom before meets.

When asked about having to get sodas for the older athletes, Spearmon laughed.

"I was going to get a drink, he asked me to get him a drink. That counts?" Spearmon said. "I guess. That was the easiest initiation ever."

Capel later refuted Spearmon's comments, saying, "See, that's why we're going to get on them because now they want to start lying. It's whatever they want to say. It's still all fun and games."

USA Track and Field executive director Craig Masback said the organization was investigating the matter. Masback said he first heard of the problem Tuesday night and that USATF officials did not want to question the athletes during their competition. He said that the episode may have occurred before the meet began, and certainly did not happen in the past few days.

The federation has loudly promoted the highly successful youngsters on the U.S. team, and this was the first indication of any split between the youthful stars and the older athletes.

However, Masback said that from all reports he's received from coaches, agents and athletes, "there is tremendous cohesiveness on this team."

"This is extremely out of the blue for us," Masback said, "and the performances speak to that."

Of the severity of Capel's comments, Masback said, "I don't think it's good for him and I don't think it's good for the sport, but these are his rivals."

Capel, who played college football at Florida and tried to make it in the NFL, said he had undergone significant hazing in football.

"You get your behind beat, but the guys in track and field, they're a little too soft to get whooped on like that," he said.

Nothing physical was done to the track youngsters, Capel said.

"It was kind of a respect issue," Capel said. "They took it as we were picking on them. A lot of them are just big babies, so it's not a real big deal."

Capel has had his own problems with USATF. He was removed from the 400-meter relay pool for the Athens Olympics after testing positive for marijuana. Another positive test would result in a two-year ban.

Copyright 2005 by The Associated Press