USOC President Bill Hybl said yesterday at the
organization's annual meetings that he will not seek re-
election next year, "completing a major transition" and
joining Exec Dir Dick Schultz and former Deputy Secretary
John Krimsky in leaving the organization, according to
Rachel Alexander of the WASHINGTON POST. Hybl said he is
leaving to devote more time to the philanthropic El Pomar
Foundation. His USOC post is "being redefined" under a new
restructuring plan and his replacement will also serve as
Board Chair. Alexander writes that Hybl "has overseen both
scandal and reform," and speaking of his four-year tenure,
Hybl said that "he regretted not having handled some
situations more quickly than he did." Hybl: "The
externalization [of drug testing] ... maybe we could have
handled that more quickly. Sometimes I keep my thoughts to
myself. Maybe I should have been more open. ... It would
have led to less misunderstandings" (WASHINGTON POST,
10/25). Hybl's announcement came as the USOC's Board of Dir
approved management changes as suggested by the recent study
by McKinsey & Co. (See THE DAILY, 9/10). The position of
USOC President will now become a Board Chair with "less day-
to-day responsibility," while the Exec Dir post will become
a CEO/Sec. General with "greatly expanded powers" (CO
Springs GAZETTE, 10/24). Hybl estimates the new Board
Chair job will "require" something like 15-20 hours per week
(GAZETTE, 10/25). Hybl: "I think I could have run for the
new position and could have won. But the truth is there are
probably 20-25 people in the Olympic movement who could do
this job starting tomorrow" (STAR-TELEGRAM, 10/25).
HYBL'S LEGACY: In Colorado Springs, Kamon Simpson
called Hybl's departure the "most prominent in a period that
has seen a radical shake-up at the top of the USOC" (CO
Springs GAZETTE, 10/24). Simpson added that the Hybl era
"is characterized in polarities." The SLOC scandal occurred
during his term, "yet out of those smoldering ruins emerges
hope, and Hybl is standing smack dab in the middle of it.
... Also current are most of the groundbreaking reforms
through which Hybl has pulled the USOC, sometimes
reluctantly" (CO Springs GAZETTE, 10/24). In Ft. Worth,
Mede Nix writes that Hybl was "credited with trying to
return the focus to athletes and with seeking athletes'
opinions on the reforms and the operation of the USOC"
(STAR-TELEGRAM, 10/25). In Dallas, Cathy Harasta writes
that athletes and USOC staff members said that they will
"miss Hybl, noted for his unassuming style and devotion to
the amateur sports participants who gained a greater voice
on his watch" (DMN, 10/25). Schultz, asked to describe the
President's job that Hybl has filled: "You get all the crap
and none of the glory" (CO Springs GAZETTE, 10/25).
POSSIBLE CANDIDATES: In Salt Lake, Linda Fantin
reported that USOC VPs Sandy Baldwin and Paul George are
interested in replacing Hybl (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 10/25).
Names floated for the new CEO post include Secretary of
State Madeline Albright, Democratic Presidential Candidate
Bill Bradley, SLOC CEO Mitt Romney, former U.S. Senator
George Mitchell, MLBPA Exec Dir Donald Fehr and outgoing NL
President Len Coleman (DESERET NEWS, 10/24).
OTHER NEWS: The USOC Board also approved a new anti-
doping plan, which calls for a newly created outside agency
to take over drug policy issues. The agency's
responsibilities include "the random testing of NHL and NBA
athletes who want to compete in the Olympics, although
officials acknowledged that fulfilling that goal could
involve difficult negotiations" (WASHINGTON POST, 10/24).
