(3/3/99)
The U.S.O.C. pledged today to change the practices that have tarnished its image and to adopt policies to protect its integrity in the future.
Charles Sherrill has the story from our Washington bureau.
U.S. Olympic Committee officials offered no excuses for the absence of ethical control that allowed the Salt Lake scandal to occur. USOC President Bill Hybl says, "The oversight was abysmal. And that's why we're trying to put into place and are putting into place procedures, policies, and individuals who would not let this happen again."
From now on they said their books and meetings will be open.
Active involvement will be mandatory for committee members. Strict rules will be adopted to prevent conflicts of interest and vote buying.
Hybl says, "To do any less would mean facing a future that might include the loss of the games and the noble ideals that they profess."
The USOC will assign one of its own employees to the Salt Lake committee to keep an eye on things.
USOC Executive Director, Dick Shultz, explains, "And this will be a standard operating procedure for all future bid cities."
SLOC President, Mitt Romney, says, "If they're willing to roll up their sleeves and go to work with us and get the job done, why they're as welcome as anybody else."
Romney says he has nothing to hide. "I am confident that the board and the staff of the existing Salt Lake Organizing Committee is the right group."
Romney met today with Utah's members of Congress and a federal task force on the Olympics
co-chaired by Salt Lake native and Presidential assistant Mickey Ibarra.
Romney explained, "The leaders of the task force heard our requests. They've indicated in our previous meetings that they're willing to work with us and help us. And I'm confident that we're going to get the support we need from the federal government."
The U.S.O.C. called on the President to intervene
by bringing the
International Olympic Committee under the coverage of a law that bans bribery of foreign government officials.
That would put pressure on the IOC to require that all countries play by the same rules.
