broadcasting rights to next summer's Atlanta Olympic Games.

Association President Austin Woods said: "We tried to bring the two parties together and we did that.

"We don't understand what's gone wrong -- but it's up to the BBC and VSB to sort it out between them.'' Mr. Woods added that the rights to the Games were handled by the International Olympic Committee and were negotiated without consultation with the Island's Olympic Association.

He was speaking after lawyers acting for the Bermuda Broadcasting Company (ZBM) wrote to the Bermuda Olympic Association asking it to back the BBC's claim to exclusive Olympic coverage -- negotiated through the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) -- over VSB's plan to show the American NBC network's coverage of the event.

But Mr. Woods said: "We have no idea what the CBU is going to offer and we are in no position to say anything.

"All we want is the maximum coverage of the Olympic Games for the people of Bermuda.'' A row broke out between the two stations earlier this year after the BBC announced it had secured exclusive rights to the Games.

But VSB TV 11 had been promoting itself as the Olympic station, having plans to show the Games through its affiliation with the American NBC network.

The letter from the Bermuda Olympic Association to the legal firm, signed by Secretary General John Hoskins, said the Association was not aware of the terms of the BBC-CBU contract or of the CBU contract with the International Olympic Committee.

But the letter added: "In the event that we receive from the International Olympic Committee written confirmation of the CBU agreement which covers Bermuda, then we will be prepared to issue a statement confirming the position.''