New Limit on Athletes Proposed : Olympics: Africans then withdraw plan to allow nations only two athletes per event, which is opposed by the United States and Europeans.

Former USC sprinter Quincy Watts, who had run third in the U.S. trials, won the 400 meters in last summer’s Olympic track and field competition at Barcelona. But if a proposal Friday by African national Olympic committees had been adopted, future athletes in Watts’ situation would not be eligible for the Summer Games.

During a meeting at Acapulco of the Assn. of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), the Africans recommended as part of a larger plan to regulate the size of the Olympics that nations be limited to two athletes per event. When the United States and European countries objected, the Africans withdrew the proposal.

It would have affected the United States in particular in track and field. Allowed under rules now to enter three athletes per event, the United States has at least that many in some events capable of winning medals.

Three U.S. athletes who finished third in the Olympic trials subsequently won medals at Barcelona. Besides gold-medalist Watts, Michael Bates won the bronze medal in the 200 and Joe Greene won a bronze in the long jump.

“If the intent is to enhance the competitiveness of the Olympic Games, then it’s important to preserve those who are qualified to participate,” said Harvey Schiller, the U.S. Olympic Committee’s executive director.

Regarding the IOC’s rule that no more than 10,000 athletes can compete in the 1996 Summer Olympics at Atlanta, the Africans also wanted to apply strict qualifying standards on 8,000 athletes but allow 2,000 athletes--about 10 from each nation--automatic berths. European countries objected, calling the numbers “not well-studied.”

The Africans submitted their proposal as ANOC and International Olympic Committee executive board members, in separate meetings at Acapulco, studied means of reversing the trend toward larger Games.

The IOC’s executive board had agreed earlier that stricter standards should be imposed on athletes at the Winter Games. Great Britain’s ski jumper, Eddie (the Eagle) Edwards, and Jamaica’s bobsled teams are fondly remembered, but the IOC says that such athletes in most cases are, at best, an irritant to legitimate competitors and, at worst, dangerous.