June 1, 1999
LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) _ Henry Kissinger urged the IOC today to be more
open and accountable as it tries to recover from the worst crisis in Olympic
history.
The former U.S. secretary of state addressed the opening session of a task
force assigned with recommending reforms of the International Olympic Committee
following the Salt Lake City bribery scandal.
"There does seem to be a concern with transparency and accountability," he
said, citing the worries of politicians and sponsors in the United States.
Kissinger said the IOC's problems resulted from the massive growth of the
Olympics the past two decades and asked the 105-year-old organization to
"adjust to new realities."
He suggested the IOC widen its membership to include outside groups on a
rotating basis. He said the committee's meetings should be open "as far as
possible."
Kissinger is one of 36 outside members on the 80-member IOC 2000 commission,
which was formed in the wake of the vote-buying scandal stemming from Salt
Lake's successful bid for the 2002 Winter Games.
The reform panel is meeting today and Wednesday to begin examining ways of
overhauling the IOC's structure and the process for selecting Olympic host
cities.
Among other things, the commission is expected to consider changes to the
way IOC members are selected, including introducing term limits and reducing
the mandatory retirement age, which is now 80.
The strongest words came from Norwegian speed skater Johan Olav Koss, winner
of three gold medals at the 1994 Lillehammer Games. He challenged the IOC to
clean up its act and give a bigger voice to athletes.
"Is the IOC determined to remain a private club or open to transparency and
accountability?" Koss said. "If not, the IOC will remain the same, which will
ensure further corruption and abuse of power."
"How can we can change the soul of the IOC back to where it was supposed to
be?" he said. "What we have seen in the last eight months is the IOC has not
taken its responsibility. ... The chosen men and women of the IOC have not been
the right role models."
As a member of the democratically elected IOC athletes' commission, Koss
proposed that 10 more members be elected to the panel and that all 20 athletes
be appointed to the IOC itself. He suggested that two athletes serve on the
decision-making IOC executive board.
"Will the IOC, who claim that the Olympics are for the athletes, support the
athletes, empower the athletes, give them full status in the Olympic family?"
Koss said. "If it's not about the athletes, then what is it about?"
Peter Ueberroth, chief organizer of the 1984 Los Angeles Games, said abuses
in the Olympic bidding process extended far beyond Salt Lake City.
"Salt Lake City is in my opinion is probably one of the most innocent bid
cities in recent times," he said. "You know that and I know that. The culture
that caused the problems started in 1956 and can be easily be disposed of by
this body and current leadership of the IOC."
Ueberroth asked the IOC to curb the size of the Olympics.
"Bigger is not better," he said. "If the games get any bigger, no city or
country will be able to do it well. There must be restraint of growth or the
games will fail."
Ueberroth said the IOC should ensure that money flows to those who really
need it.
"It seems to me the Olympic movement is at the top of the mountain of
sport," he said. "At the next level are sponsors and officials. Toward the
bottom are the athletes and young people. Why not become a service organization
serving those people and turn the mountain upside down?"
Paul Allaire, chairman and CEO of Xerox, one of the IOC's major
international sponsors, said, "We expect the IOC to make dramatic and specific
changes. Openness and transparency is a good starting point."
NBC sports chief Dick Ebersol, whose network has a $3.5 billion deal for
American television rights to the games of 2000-2008, defended the IOC against
a "perception that much is wrong with the movement and the movement is
reluctant to change."
Ebersol said there are people in the United States "who don't want to
listen" to the steps the IOC has taken in the wake of the scandal.
Italian track and field leader Primo Nebiolo pressed for a greater role for
the sports federations, saying the leaders of all 35 summer and winter bodies
should be on the IOC.
"We are not just here to push for power or ask for a bigger piece of the
pie," he said. "We believe we should be equal partners in this movement and
hope to be treated as such."
Several of the 42 speakers warned against taking any radical steps.
"We must not feel obliged to revolutionize the whole system as some critics
inspired by commercial and political interests have requested," Italian member
Mario Pescante said. "The Olympic world doesn't need revolution but evolution."
Other speakers included former U.N. Secretary General Boutros Boutros Ghali
of Egypt and Italian industrialist Giovanni Agnelli.
The commission, which is divided into three working groups, is to submit a
preliminary report June 20 at the next IOC general assembly in Seoul, South
Korea. Final recommendations are to be approved at a special IOC session in
December.
(Copyright 1999 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
APTV-06-01-99 0732MDT
