At the Int'l Sport Summit in N.Y. yesterday, IOC VP
Dick Pound said that "corruption" in the Salt Lake City bid
scandal was "extensive and that the expulsion" of some IOC
members would be sought this weekend when it meets in
Switzerland to go over an initial investigation report,
according to Jere Longman of the N.Y. TIMES. Pound: "We
have found evidence of very disappointing conduct by a
number of I.O.C. members. Their conduct has been completely
contrary to everything the Olympic movement worked so hard
to represent." Pound also acknowledged the scandal could be
expanded and that improper bidding procedures may have
occurred for years: "It doesn't make sense to think Salt
Lake is the first and only time this happened" (N.Y. TIMES,
1/22). Pound: "We'd like to express our sincere apologies
for the actions of certain IOC members" (Mult, 1/22). But
Pound "stopped short of vowing cooperation with the Justice
Department probe into possible criminal wrongdoing." Pound:
"Our responsibility is to deal with our own members. That's
what we're prepared to do" (WASHINGTON POST, 1/22). Pound:
"I am a lay person in the U.S. criminal stuff, but from what
we see, this doesn't have (criminal) earmarks" (CHICAGO
TRIBUNE, 1/22). In Toronto, James Christie writes that
Pound's "unprecedented apology ... might be interpreted as a
job of professional image repair," but Pound said that the
IOC "was sincere." Pound: "The issue of 'spin' is not as
important as being able to respond: the 'spin' is quite
simple -- some few members have acted inappropriately and
the IOC is going to deal with the matter quickly and
severely" (GLOBE & MAIL, 1/22). In Salt Lake City, Guy
Boulton writes that Pound's speech, "serious, somber and
straightforward -- made plain to what degree the scandal has
rocked" the IOC (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 1/22).
PRESSURE MOUNTS ON JUAN: Last night, "NBC Nightly News"
profiled IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch as part of its
"In Depth" segment. Tom Brokaw called Samaranch "a distant
and powerful figure" who "moves around the world as if he's
the head of state." NBC's Andrea Mitchell: "There is
increasing pressure for [Samaranch] to resign." Samaranch
agreed to be interviewed by NBC last week, but he would not
let them broadcast his voice. But he said he "won't quit."
Mitchell added that Samaranch still has "plenty of
supporters." Mitchell: "In fact, supporters say Samaranch
is the only person with the power to clean up the Olympic
mess, if he survives without losing his Olympic throne"
(NBC, 1/21). In N.Y., George Vecsey calls on Samaranch to
step down, as the IOC is "in disgrace. ... This is a mess"
(N.Y. TIMES, 1/22). In L.A., Randy Harvey writes that while
Samaranch may be the "best hope for a solution," he is "part
of the problem now confronting the IOC," and it "is clear"
he "should now resign" (L.A. TIMES, 1/22). Pound: "No one
-- let me repeat, no one -- is more determined to correct
this situation than he is. And no one is in a better
position to manage the organization" (S.L. TRIBUNE, 1/22).
AROUND THE RINGS: Bashir Mohamed Attarabulsi, the IOC
delegate from Libya, became the second member of the int'l
body to step down after submitting his resignation to
Samaranch. Attarabulsi's son has said he "received tuition"
at BYU and other UT schools, plus $700 a month for expenses.
He listed the SLOC bid committee headquarters as his home
address (AP, 1/22)....Both USA TODAY's Michael Hiestand and
the N.Y. TIMES' Richard Sandomir report on NBC Sports Senior
VP Alex Gilady, who is also an IOC member from Israel (N.Y.
TIMES, 1/22)...In San Antonio, Jerry Briggs wrote that
"fallout" from the Olympic scandal has led the USOC to
postpone site evaluation visits to San Antonio, Miami and
Raleigh-Durham for the 2007 Pan American Games. No new
dates have been set (S.A. EXPRESS-NEWS, 1/21)....CBS's "60
Minutes" will focus on the scandal on Sunday's edition. In
L.A., Larry Stewart: "Haven't seen much on NBC. Could it be
because NBC has all the Olympics through 2008?" NBC Sports
VP/Information Ed Markey: "Not at all" (L.A. TIMES, 1/22).
During last night's evening news, NBC had two stories on the
scandal as part of its "In Depth" segment, covering 5:03;
"CBS Evening News" had a 2:10 report and ABC's "World News
Tonight" ran a 20-second news brief (THE DAILY).
