A draft report on the Salt Lake City Olympics
influence-peddling scandal "singles out" a looming U.S.
Department of Justice criminal investigation as "the biggest
potential problem" facing the IOC, according to Copetas &
Thurow of the WALL STREET JOURNAL. The report, due to be
delivered to IOC members this weekend, is "likely to shake
the pedestal upon which the Olympic movement has placed
itself, and will intensely increase the pressure on IOC
officials to undertake serious reforms." The report by IOC
Exec VP Dick Pound "implicates" as many as 16 IOC members,
and "one of the main objectives will be to try to convince"
the Dept. of Justice that "there has been no crime
committed." The report states, "There may have been
questionable and objectionable behavior, but nothing
criminal." The report comes as the first IOC member, Pirjo
Haeggman from Finland, resigned yesterday over reports that
her former husband had accepted jobs "arranged by bid
committees in two cities" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/20).
SAMARANCH SPEAKS: Copetas & Thurow add that the report
and resignations could lead to "amplifying calls" that IOC
President Juan Antonio Samaranch step down. Calls for his
resignation are coming from "disparate corners of the
world." Samaranch, interviewed in Lausanne this week, said,
"If I have the confidence of all IOC members, I go on. If
not, I will be through." Asked if he had any idea of the
IOC corruption that was "rumored" for years: "I cannot
answer. I am the president!" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 1/20).
"NIGHTLINE" GOES POUND FOR POUND: The Olympics scandal
was featured Monday on ABC's "Nightline." Titled "The
Tarnished Olympic Ideal," Forrest Sawyer hosted UT Gov. Mike
Leavitt and IOC Exec VP Dick Pound. Pound, on the
investigation of IOC members: "We really do want to get rid
of the bad apples. ... Maybe we'll find some additional
names. ... This is not something we're shirking. It's going
to be painful and it's embarrassing but we're going to come
out if it, I think, a strong and better Olympic movement for
it." Pound, when asked if Samaranch should resign: "I see
no reason for it and I don't, you shouldn't compare the IOC
to a corporate model where there's a ritual slaughter of the
President when something goes wrong" ("Nightline," 1/18).
WANTING JUAN TO WALK: Former USOC President Robert
Helmick continued his call for Samaranch's resignation. IOC
Exec VP Anita DeFrantz: "I don't quite know why he's in a
position to call for that" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/20). John Hancock
Mutual Life Insurance President David D'Alessandro told the
N.Y. TIMES that Samaranch should be "given the benefit of
the doubt," especially by naming Pound to lead the
investigation: "If he had not appointed Dick Pound, who
sponsors and advertisers respect most, I wouldn't be
surprised to see half the sponsors gone" (N.Y. TIMES, 1/20).
RINGS THINGS: "NBC Nightly News" examined the Olympic
scandal as part of its "In Depth" segment. NBC's Tom
Brokaw: "The Presidency, of course, is not the only major
institution under fire these days. The Olympic bribery
scandal just got bigger and uglier today with another high
ranking resignation." NBC's George Lewis in Salt Lake
City: "The scandal now reaches the top ranks of the Olympic
movement" ("NBC Nightly News," 1/19). CBS's Dan Rather
reported on Haeggman's resignation after leading with a
preview of President Clinton's historic State of the Union
address last night. Rather: "Now to another story that has
taken on a momentum of its own and threatens to damage a
revered institution." D'Alessandro, on the IOC needing deep
reforms: "They are accountable. They are accountable in the
end to the public trust. And I think they know that now"
(CBS, 1/19)...IOC Dir General Francois Carrard denied
published reports that the IOC was expanding its
investigation into other bid cities. Carrard: "I did not
say this. What I said was the ad hoc commission
(investigating the Salt Lake City case) will accept and
consider any material it receives of any kind" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 1/20)....NBC Sports Chair Dick Ebersol called
reports that Spanish TV broadcaster Manolo Romero's contract
to be the Host broadcaster of the 2002 Games was aided by
his IOC connections "enraging." Ebersol: "This guy is the
Michael Jordan, Mark McGwire and Karl Malone of host
broadcasting. ... This charge ... is just the product of
sore losers" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 1/20)....On the "Tonight
Show," Jay Leno offered his suggestion for the mascot of the
2002 Salt Lake Games: "Cashie the Bag" (NBC, 1/19).
