Sept. 6, 2000

The Olympics are about money, and former Salt Lake bid leaders simply got caught playing a dirty game created by the International Olympic Committee.

That's according one of the all-time great Olympians, who was in town today.

At the 1972 Summer Games in Munich, American Mark Spitz won a record 7 gold medals.

Today, Spitz said former bid leaders Tom Welch and Dave Johnson were essentially doing what they needed to do to win.

While working as a consultant for Stockholm Sweden 2004, Spitz says he was approached by IOC members looking for favors.

Mark Spitz/OIympic Gold Medalist: "MORE THAN 20 IOC OFFICIALS CAME TO ME AFTER THE STOCKHOLM PRESENTATION BEFORE THE VOTING AND SAID 'WHAT INDUCEMENT,' IN THESE WORDS EXACTLY, 'CAN YOU GIVE ME AS AN ADDITIONAL INCENTIVE FOR MY COUNTRY'S VOTE?'"

Spitz mainly blames IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch for creating that now-tainted system.