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LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND--International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch announced Monday that, for the first time ever, professionals will be permitted to compete in wrestling in the upcoming Sydney Summer Olympics.

Above: "Hollywood" Hulk Hogan tells reporters what he is going to do to Olympic gold medalist Viktor Ulianov when he gets him on the mat.

"The time has come for the best wrestlers to come together and compete against one another on the world stage," Samaranch said. "This is the true Olympic spirit."

The U.S. Olympic wrestling team, which was badly beaten by Russia and the Ukraine in the '92 and '96 Games, is expected to be the biggest beneficiary of the rule change. Already, a number of high-profile U.S. pros have filed requests with the USOC to compete in Sydney, including "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, Diamond Dallas Page, The Rock, and Sexual Chocolate.

WCW star Terry Funk, who plans to compete in Sydney in the Greco-Roman 247-pound class, is eager to face reigning Olympic champion Aleksandr Karelin of Russia, who took the gold medal in Atlanta in 1996.

"Mr. Karelin, I have heard you talk long and loud about your strength, your stamina, and your many so-called pins," said a visibly angry Funk, his face still damp with perspiration following a match against Disco Inferno. "But you'll be whistling a different tune when I hit you with my famous Chicken Punch. Get ready to come face-to-face with real wrestling, Mr. Karelin. Real, professional, American wrestling. It's going to be lights-out for you, pal, in Sydney." Funk added that, upon victory, he will shave Karelin bald.

Above: IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch.

Former Undertaker manager Paul Bearer, now managing Kane, told reporters: "This is a very exciting development for the World Wrestling Federaaaaaa-tion, and I know that not only Kane, but all wrestlers who qualify for the Games, will be honored to represent the U.S. in Syyyyyyd-ney."

Added Bearer: "Ohhhhhh, yeeeeeessss!"

Despite the excitement among U.S. pros, some sports writers are critical of the IOC decision, contending that it will result in unfair, severely lopsided victories for Team USA, similar to those of the basketball "Dream Team" in the last two Summer Olympics.

"It is unlikely that any foreign wrestler, professional or amateur, will be able to match the top-rope, turnbuckle-smashing, pile-driving force of the WWF's army of pain," said columnist Mitch Albom of The Detroit Free Press. "We're talking Triple H, Too Cool, Shane McMahon, and Road Dogg. No other nation on earth, with the possible exception of Japan, which has Rikishi and Funaki, can match that."

IOC officials have still not announced whether The Undertaker will be permitted to use his signature Tombstone Piledriver finishing move in international competition.

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