IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch's efforts on
behalf of Indonesian IOC member Mohamad Hasan, who is
serving time in jail "accused of bilking the state of tens
of millions of dollars during his long and tight association
with toppled Indonesian President Suharto," are examined by
Copetas, Thurow & Solomon in a front-page feature in the
WALL STREET JOURNAL. Samaranch wrote new Indonesia
President Abdurrahman Wahid back in April to "inquire about
the well-being" of Hasan, and sources said the IOC was
trying to get permission to allow Hasan to travel to Sydney,
despite his incarceration. Copetas, Thurow & Solomon:
"Despite its pronouncements that it has reformed its
imperious ways, the IOC and Mr. Samaranch apparently are
finding old habits hard to break. ... The attempt to
intercede on Mr. Hasan's behalf ... belies the reforms the
IOC is trying to sell as part of its renewed commitment to
what Mr. Samaranch frequently describes as the 'Olympic
spirit' of democracy, justice and human rights." Meanwhile,
Copetas, Thurow & Solomon report that while in Sydney, the
IOC's 113 members "aren't only being ferried to Olympic
events in boats beyond the public eye, they are being
shepherded about by a special team of handlers" from the
IOC's PR firm, Hill & Knowlton. One IOC exec said, "There
are two Olympics in Sydney. There are the sports, and there
is the effort to sanitize the IOC" (WALL ST JOURNAL, 9/11).
TURNING POINT FOR IOC? In N.Y., Jere Longman examined
the leadership of the IOC after Samaranch steps down, and
noted that the "power shift ... will be of great interest"
to U.S. sponsors. John Hancock CEO David D'Alessandro
acknowledged the anti-U.S. sentiment within the IOC, but
said if this sentiment keeps the Games from returning to the
U.S. after Salt Lake City in 2002, sponsors will drop out:
"They've got to be careful not to have the American public
turn on them" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/10). A N.Y. TIMES editorial
stated that Samaranch's "imperious management style and
insensitivity to ethical lapses will not be missed." At
Sydney, "it will be up to the athletes and the quality of
their contests to redeem the blunders of the host cities,
the broadcasting networks, the advertisers, and the local
and international committees" (N.Y. TIMES, 9/10). In
Sydney, Steve Buffery writes that the "locals have a new
word for freeloader: 'Juan'" (TORONTO SUN, 9/11).
GAMES RELEVANT? In Tampa, Mark Elliot wrote that Sydney
will "eventually ... be pinpointed as a crossroads for what
the Olympic movement ultimately becomes." Former ACOG
President Billy Payne: "The problem folks in the Olympic
movement have to get a handle on is the growth of the Games
itself. I believe the Games are just about to reach the
breaking point in terms of any city ... to logistically,
operationally and financially support the Olympics" (TAMPA
TRIBUNE, 9/10)....Univ. of Toronto Dean and Olympics scholar
Bruce Kidd: "There's a huge disillusionment, moving into
cynicism and anger, about the IOC. (But) I don't think the
Olympics are beyond recovery; the Olympic ideals are not
only still relevant, they are more valid than ever in
postmodern society. There's just a (gigantic) disconnect
between the IOC and those ideals" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 9/10).
