IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch took "a dramatic
step to combat the worst ethics scandal in [Olympic]
history" and "banned" IOC members from visiting bidding
cities, according to Stephen Wilson of the AP. Samaranch:
"I can tell you that the trips of IOC members to candidate
cities, these are terminated." Wilson writes that IOC
members won't be able to visit cities bidding for the 2006
Games, as the ban would "presumably take effect
immediately." Samaranch also called a special executive
board meeting for January to "consider changes in the
system" for selecting host cities (AP, 12/22). Former USOC
President Robert Helmick, who resigned in '91 amid conflict-
of-interest charges, "blamed" Samaranch for "failing to pay
enough attention when allegations of corruption first
surfaced" in '88. Helmick: "He did not take this seriously
or act promptly, for whatever reason" (AP, 12/22).
SHINE LIKE A STARR? U.S. Sen. George Mitchell will be
named Chair of the USOC Ethics Committee investigating
allegations that Salt Lake City "bribed its way" into
hosting the 2002 Winter Games. Former White House Chief of
Staff Kenneth Duberstein will be co-Chair. Also to be named
to the five-member USOC investigative panel are MLBPA Exec
Dir Donald Fehr, NM attorney Roberta Cooper Ramo and USOC
athletes advisory councilmember Jeff Benz (Jere Longman,
N.Y. TIMES, 12/22). IOC VP Dick Pound, on suggestions that
an independent committee take over the inquiry: "We're quite
capable of (investigating) our own members. The last thing
we need is another Kenneth Starr" (TORONTO SUN, 12/22).
