Pound Brushes Off Talk Of His Firm Improperly Billing IOC

The IOC reported yesterday it compensated the Montreal-based law firm of IOC member Dick Pound — Stikeman Elliott — more than C$4M over 15 years for Pound's "extra legal services" while he conducted Olympic business, according to Wilson & Stubbs of the Montreal GAZETTE. But the IOC indicated that "there was nothing improper about the payments, which were part of a private arrangement" struck in '85 between Pound and then-IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch. Pound said he was the target of an "anonymous letter" which was being circulated, and he told new IOC President Jacques Rogge to not "deal with anonymous letters." Pound, on the letter: "When I saw it — I think it was signed `A friend of the Olympic movement,' just the usual bull——, I said, `Here we go, and Jacques had better know about it." IOC Dir General Francois Carrard said that the payments "covered Pound's legal work in negotiating Olympic sponsorship and TV contracts." Carrard added that deal "was made on condition that the payments went to" Stikeman Elliott and that "Pound himself would not receive any money." Pound: "It's probably true that some of the members of the IOC's executive board aren't aware (of the payments) because half of them weren't IOC board members in 1985" (Montreal GAZETTE, 9/19). Pound: "It's surprising this has become a story. It's been out there for years and years, published in newspapers, that my firm billed the IOC for my time and that none of the money was to come to me. The only reason it's been raised is that I think someone's circulating an anonymous letter." Carrard said that there was "nothing improper about the payments." But Carrard "denied that the payments were an issue because of any malicious letter," and maintained that Rogge "noticed the payments while examining the IOC's financial books" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 9/19). Carrard said that the payments from the IOC to Pound's firm were about US$200,000 annually and total more than US$3M. Pound added the arrangement was "completely above board. It was in writing" (Alan Abrahamson, L.A. TIMES, 9/19).

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