Online NewsHour: Olympic Inquiry- December 15, 1999



	OLYMPIC INQUIRY

	December 15, 1999
	Betty Ann Bowser has the story on the corruption troubles plaguing the Olympics.

JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH: The International Olympic Committee has decided to award the organization of the 19th Olympic Winter Games in 2002 to the City of Salt Lake City.

BETTY ANN BOWSER: There was euphoria in Salt Lake City when the announcement came that the 2002 Winter Olympic games would be held in Utah. But it didn't last long, because scandal hit the Salt Lake Winter games one year ago. Press reports alleged that Salt Lake City officials gave International Olympic Committee members millions of dollars in gifts, scholarships, even free medical care, at a time when the city was seeking IOC approval to bring the winter games to Utah. Subsequent investigations showed the press accounts were not only true, one report found a culture of corruption it said had existed for more than a decade. As a result, six IOC members were expelled; four others were forced to resign. And the organization adopted a series of reforms. But critics said it wasn't enough. So over the weekend the IOC passed another set of tougher reforms. The most controversial privilege prized by IOC members, trips to bid cities, were banned. Ten active athletes were elected to the IOC to give them more influence over the organization's activities and from now on, IOC members must run for reelection every eight years.

SPOKESMAN: Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth so help you God?

SPOKESMAN: I do.

BETTY ANN BOWSER: Then today, the president of the IOC, 79-year-old Juan Antonio Samaranch, voluntarily appeared before a House subcommittee investigating the organization. Even before he testified, members of the committee were extremely skeptical that the IOC and its president are really serious about reform.

REP. FRED UPTON: Now, after being dragged under the magnifying glass, the IOC purports to have turned over a new leaf. They say they've seen the light. They say action has been taken. The question is can we trust that the reforms will be vigorously enforced once the spotlight has been dimmed? How can we be sure that business as usual has truly ended?

REP. DIANA DeGETTE: I fear that these reforms will be cosmetic and purely to mask the aristocratic aura that has formed around e organization. And I am not convinced that the reforms approved this part weekend can be implemented in a manner that alleviates the situations that resulted in IOC members forgetting that the games are about elite athletes at the pinnacle of their ability.

BETTY ANN BOWSER: And Congressman Joe Barton of Texas called for the IOC president to resign.

REP. JOE BARTON: I would like for you to announce today that you will resign. I think you have done many good things, but I don't think the good things you've done overwhelm the bad practices that have developed. And I think it's time for some new blood and some new leadership.

BETTY ANN BOWSER: Samaranch never responded to Barton's request. In his opening statement, he told the committee he believes the International Olympic Committee has reformed itself.

JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH: There will not be more visits of international Olympic committee to the cities. I think really that is not necessary. But also there will not be visits from the bid cities to the IOC members. I think avoiding these visits also we avoid a real danger. I wanted to emphasize the most important. I would like also to say that many of these changes are now today in the Olympic charter. Now today in the Olympic charter. I think we cleaned the House, and a fundamental reform package has been adopted.

BETTY ANN BOWSER: But Samaranch also said convincing many IOC members to ban visits to bid cities was difficult. In the question-and-answer session, he spoke through a translator.

JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH: (speaking through interpreter) I realize that we had made a mistake, but it was very difficult for us to persuade the members of IOC that they could not take part in such visits. And now, perhaps thanks to this crisis, we have been able to persuade them.

BETTY ANN BOWSER: Colorado Congresswoman DeGette wanted to know how he intends to enforce new rules, which say IOC members may accept only gifts of nominal value.

JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH: (speaking through interpreter) That problem is no longer with us. It has disappeared completely. No visits, no gifts.

REP. DIANA DeGETTE: What happens if someone says a gift of 500, 1,000 U.S. dollars is in accordance with prevailing U.S. customs? What's to prevent that under this new rule adopted by the IOC this weekend?

JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH: (speaking through interpreter) I think gifts were closely connected to trips. Since there are no more visits, there's no more dangers of gifts.

BETTY ANN BOWSER: Samaranch said he would recommend that all gifts be banned by the IOC at some point in the future. Then he was asked if reports are true that he lives in a hotel suite near IOC headquarters in Switzerland that costs the organization half a million dollars a year.

SPOKESMAN: Is that true?

JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH: (speaking through interpreter) No, this is not true…the total you alluded to, the half a million dollars. I live in a hotel in the City of Lausanne. I have two rooms. One is my bedroom and the other is a small salon. It's not very large. That costs approximately $250 a day.

SPOKESMAN: Okay, well, if it is a lie, are you willing today to state that whatever the cost you will pay it out of your own pocket and not charge the IOC if it's only $250 a day?

JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH: (speaking through interpreter) I don't think I have a reason to pay for that room. I am the chairman of the IOC. I have no payments are made to me. They cover my expenses.

BETTY ANN BOWSER: And the IOC president was asked why his wife took a trip to Atlanta prior to the 1996 Olympic games that cost the city's organizing committee $13,000.

JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH: (speaking through interpreter) She was invited, and they felt that they should defray the costs. But I don't think this point is really that important.

SPOKESMAN: We have documents that show she wasn't interested even in looking at any of the venues, that she just wanted to go to artsy-crafty places and participate in high society. So, I think it's well and good if she wants to visit the South and have that hospitality, but I don't think the Olympic movement and the host cities bidding to host the Olympics should have to pay her expenses.

JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH: (speaking through interpreter) You are probably right, sir. This is a problem of the organizing committee. This was an invitation based on friendship. And this is all I can attest.

BETTY ANN BOWSER: Congressman Henry Waxman of California asked Samaranch why NBC was awarded the next five Olympic television contracts without a competitive bidding process.

JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH: (speaking through interpreter) In the first place, let me say that we are very happy with the ABC... I mean, NBC contract. They have been with us for a long time now. They cover in a very good manner all the games.

REP. HENRY WAXMAN: Yeah, but you didn't have the bidding in the open, isn't that correct? It was a no-bid contract. No one else got to compete.

JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH: (speaking through interpreter) No, there was no such thing for the renewal. I'm sorry? No request for bids for the renewal. We felt that NBC is a company that deserves our confidence and had our confidence.

BETTY ANN BOWSER: The committee also heard from former Senator Howard Baker, who now heads a newly formed IOC Ethics Commission. He said he's optimistic about the future of the organization and said the new commission expects to carefully monitor future activities of IOC members.

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