OLYMPIC HISTORY

From 1936 until 1972, basketball was about who could beat the United States - and no one did, in seven attempts. Then came the famous game between the US and the Soviet Union and the case of a British official, a US protest and a vault load of medals that some say still remain in a Munich bank to this day.

The game had gone basket for basket both ways until in the dying seconds of the game Doug Collins sank two free throws to put the US ahead 50-49. There appeared to be a second left on the clock as the US began celebrating. After debating a technical issue, William Jones, a British Fiba official, ruled that the clock be set to 3 seconds remaining. The Russians made the most of it, Alexander Belov ploughing through the field to sink a basket on the buzzer; 51-50 to the Soviet Union. US protests fell on deaf ears and the Americans refused to collect their medals, which are believed still to be in a Munich bank vault.

The Soviet Union beat the US again in 1988 in the semi-finals before professionals were allowed in to the Games and the dream teams arrived to claim back supremacy for the US just as the Soviet Union faded into history. The stars of the National Basketball Association, Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson and Larry Bird, were professionals among amateurs. In 1992 they were clearly taking sweets from the mouths of babes.

For all their worth, however, the dream teams do not hold the title of most prolific Olympic scorer. That honour goes to Oscar Schmidt, of Brazil, who in 38 games in five Olympic Games has scored 1,093 points, an average of 28.8 points a game.

In Sydney, the US men are again clear favourites, with players such as Jason Kidd, Gary Payton and Kevin Garnett, all potential "dream teamers" and heftily paid ones at that. The nearest challengers include Lithuania and Russia.

Among women, the honours since 1976, the first Olympic tournament, have been shared by the Soviet Union and the US, at three wins apiece. US, reigning champions, and Russia, as they are now, lead the way in Sydney, though they will be hard pressed by China, Brazil and Australia.