The firing seemingly ended a saga that began in December, when several female skeleton athletes accused Nardiello of inappropriate sexual comments and advances dating from 2002.

After Nardiello's suspension, the federation admitted it had mishandled a positive drug test by Zach Lund, a top skeleton athlete.

In the Olympic Village, athletes in other events ask about getting tickets and treat the skeleton athletes with a certain amount of respect, if not awe.

The federation's problems became public late last year when two female skeleton athletes accused Nardiello of harassment.

Television ratings plummeted, lugers crashed, the beleaguered skeleton athletes found no happy ending.

The Mexican team will be made up of one skeleton athlete and two officials.

U.S.O.C. lawyers, however, interviewed 12 skeleton athletes, Nardiello and several other people who said they had witnessed harassing behavior.

She is one of the most successful skeleton athletes in the world.

But officials accelerated their response after two female skeleton athletes and a coach made their accusations public Friday.

King of Shaves also sponsored Kristan Bromley, another British skeleton athlete, for two years in the build-up to the 2006 games.