SAMARANCH TO STEP DOWN? IOC SPONSORS RE-ASSESS OPTIONS

          IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch is "considering
     announcing at an emergency IOC meeting in Switzerland next
     week that he will step down in November," according to
     Stefan Fatsis of the WALL STREET JOURNAL.  But Samaranch
     "plans to remain in a senior leadership role -- possibly a
     transitional co-presidency -- through the 2000 Games."  
     This comes as some IOC sponsors "are making contingency
     plans" in case the organization doesn't "change its ways." 
     Some are "lining up other sports events to replace the
     Olympics, determining how to scale back spending on the 2000
     Summer Games and even studying the possibility of legal
     action against the IOC."  John Hancock Mutual Life Insurance
     "recently hired two sports-consulting firms to search for
     potential substitutes for the Olympics," and the company
     "has examined" the World Cup and MLB.  Both John Hancock and
     Visa "are conducting independent" market research to gauge
     the Olympic scandal's impact (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 3/10).