Two Romanian swimmers who refused to return home from the Atlanta Olympics are free to seek a future in the United States, Romanian Olympic committee (COR) officials said yesterday.

COR President Lia Manoliu said swimmers Alexandru Ivanovici and Razvan Petcu had their own reasons not to take the flight back from Atlanta with the rest of the Romanian team.

"Every man chooses his own destiny. They are free to make that choice, too," Manoliu, herself a former Olympic discus medallist, said.

"It's a free world, we no longer live under communism. They are free to do as they please," a COR official said.