This is a largely unknown story. It did surface only after the demise of D. Sime. For those for which the name does not ring a bell, D. Sime was probably the best sprinter in the entire world in the 50s. I remember that, in 1956, he held the world record of the 200 m on straight line with 20.0 s, when the world record of a curve was still 20.6 s. Sime's record was equalled by the great Tommie Smith only ten years later.
Unfortunately Sime's prize list is pretty slim: it comprises just one silver olympic medal. In 1956 he injured himself (a stupid, horse-riding, injury) and missed out on the Olympics. B. Morrow, who had never beaten Sime, went to Melbourne and won three gold medals. In 1960 Sime participated in the 100 m and the relay. In the former he was beaten, just barely (10.32 to 10.35 but unfortunately I could not find the photo-finish), by A. Hary, who was an expert at false starting. And while Sime anchored the US relay to victory in the 4x100 m (with a new world record) the team was disqualified because of the first exchange which happened outside the changeover zone.
But the story I am going to tell here is quite different. It did take place in Rome though.
Igor Ter-Ovanessian (prince Igor) has been one of the most prominent long jumpers of his generation. He represented Soviet Union in five Olympics, obtaining two bronze medals in 1960 and 1964. He was five times European champion and was the first european to jump beyond 8 m. At one point he held the world record with 8.31 m and later with 8.35 m (the latter shared with R. Boston). He was born in Ukraine but as his name indicates he is armenian (from his father's side; his mother was indeed ukrainian).
In the 50s, when the Cold War was raging the CIA initiated an operation designed to develop anti-Soviet resistance in Ukraine. Among the various actions contemplated there were some in the sports milieu. It started with a distribution of propaganda pamphlets to the soviet athletes during the 1956, Melbourne, Games and moved to the next phase for the 1960 Games. There the aim of the CIA was to convince ukrainian athletes of the soviet team to defect to the west. During the USA-USSR meeting in Philadelphia CIA operatives mingled among the members of the soviet team identifying targets. Ter-Ovanessian looked the most promising. He had taught himself English and was known to love western books, movies and jazz.
Sime was recruited by the CIA (together with the javelin world record holder Al Cantello) to act as go-between within the soviet athletes. He had a secret meeting in Washington where the plan was set. Sime was to befriend Ter-Ovanessian during the Games. The defection deal was to be made later by an experienced agent. Sime indeed did approach Ter-Ovanessian during training. They hit it off right away and agreed to have dinner together.
There they talked about Ter-Ovanessian’s life in the Soviet Union. In his own words it was not bad at all: 'I am taken care of. I have an apartment, a car, a teaching slot at the sports university. And if I win a medal here they'll give me a lot'. Sime was a little bit hesitant at this point. He could not promise anything. The only thing the US could offer was freedom and the possibility to live as a track star in California, out near the film stars and beautiful people and fast cars.
The plan continued to unfold and Sime with Ter-Ovanessian had a dinner at some restaurant in Rome. During the dinner a CIA agent showed up, asked Sime to leave, and started speaking to Ter-Ovanessian in his regional dialect. Prince Igor was spooked and walked out of the restaurant with Sime. He said, 'I don’t know if this guy is a double agent or not, but I don’t really want to talk to him. I’m too scared'.
'That was it', said Sime, 'the CIA blew it'.
Sime and Ter-Ovanessian were to meet once more. It was during the 1963 indoor meeting in Madison Square Garden. Their exchange was a briefest one.
'Igor, how are you?'
'Nice to see you David. I can't talk to you any more'.
Ter-Ovanessian never defected. He continued competing till 1972 and later became an athletics coach. He was honoured by the IAAF (World athletics) Special Fair Play award in 2013.
Sime put an end to his athletics career after Rome. He went on to become a successful ophthalmologist, a pioneer in intraocular lens transplants. He passed away in 2016.
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