IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch testified for
"three grueling hours" before a House Oversight Subcommittee
in an "unprecedented appearance that packed a hearing room
on Capitol Hill," according to Amy Shipley of the WASHINGTON
POST. Committee members "challenged" Samaranch on a "wide
range of matters," including new IOC reforms, a trip his
wife made to SC in '96 and "grilled him on the workings of
the IOC's newly formed ethics commission." Under
questioning, Samaranch agreed to ban all gifts for members
from cities bidding for the Games (WASHINGTON POST, 12/16).
Committee Chair Fred Upton (R-MI): "(IOC reform) is a work
in progress. I don't think we're there yet" (USA TODAY,
12/16). NBC's Tom Brokaw noted that Samaranch told the
subcommittee that he had "cleaned house" within the IOC.
But "several committee members said they didn't believe his
reform efforts had gone far enough, [and] they called for
his resignation" ("NBC Nightly News," 12/15). In N.Y.,
Richard Sandomir writes that the "aggressive handling of
Samaranch ... demonstrated the fervor with which Congress
has attached itself to Olympic reform." Sandomir: "While
Samaranch enjoyed few peaceful moments, he never appeared
ruffled" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/16). In L.A., Alan Abrahamson
writes that Samaranch "turned in a virtuoso performance ...
that may ultimately be a turning point in public perception
of the worst scandal in Olympic history." Afterward,
Samaranch smiled and said, "I was expecting these questions"
(L.A. TIMES, 12/16). In Chicago, William Neikirk: "Despite
the frequently sharp tone of the questioning, Samaranch
assured the panel the reforms will work and turn the IOC
into a more open and accountable organization that will not
hesitate to investigate corruption" (CHICAGO TRIBUNE,
12/16). The FINANCIAL TIMES' Nancy Dunne: "There was little
sign of Mr. Samaranch's usual aristocratic demeanor
yesterday, as he sought to deflect personal blame for the
corruption scandal" (FINANCIAL TIMES, 12/16). USA TODAY's
Mike Dodd writes that Samaranch was "composed" before the
"skeptical, but generally civil" panel. The subcommittee
will continue with its oversight, with a meeting between IOC
and committee staff in February and another hearing early
next year (USA TODAY, 12/16). In Salt Lake, Mike Gorrell
writes that the "strong endorsements" of Samaranch and the
IOC reform process from Henry Kissinger and former U.S.
Senator Howard Baker "seemed to deflate the representatives,
who used sometimes acrid tones to knock Samaranch and mock"
IOC reforms as "inadequate or artificial" (SALT LAKE
TRIBUNE, 12/16). In N.Y., George Vecsey writes that
Samaranch "actually gave a good performance, standing up to
seven members of the subcommittee" (N.Y. TIMES, 12/16). In
Philadelphia, Bob Ford writes under the header, "Congress
Lands No Blows On Samaranch" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 12/16).
WAXMAN TARGETS NBC DEAL: U.S. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA)
"complained about Samaranch" accepting a $1M donation from
NBC for an IOC museum that Samaranch strongly backed, while
NBC "obtained the Olympic TV contract without bidding."
Waxman said that he would "push legislation to sanction the
IOC -- such as through tax changes to make attracting
sponsors more difficult -- if any lapses in reform occur"
(DESERET NEWS, 12/15). Waxman, on the IOC accepting NBC's
donation: "It appears to be a conflict of interest. Why
didn't you seek bids from other networks?" Samaranch: "We
felt that NBC is a company that deserved our confidence"
(ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS, 12/16). NBC Sports Chair Dick
Ebersol called Waxman's charge "absolutely ridiculous."
Ebersol: "It's just absurd to try to tie anything between
the two together." Ebersol said that NBC completed the TV
rights deal in a "whirlwind 48-hour negotiation" because he
offered the IOC an "unprecedented, huge-money deal on a
take-it-or-leave-it basis" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 12/16).
REAX: USA TODAY's Christine Brennan: "The IOC agreed to
just enough of a reform package to trick most of us into
thinking it has done the impossible. ... From the looks of
things, the IOC will have more of the same in its future.
Isn't reform great?" (USA TODAY, 12/16). In Dallas, Kevin
Blackistone writes under the header, "IOC Corrupt As Long As
Samaranch Chairs" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 12/16).
