|
|
 |
 |   |
EVENTS Fantasy Central Inside Game Video Plus Statitudes Your Turn Message Boards Email Newsletters Golf Guide Cities 
CNNSI.com GROUP
COMMERCE
|  |
IOC needs Pound to stay aboard
MOSCOW -- Now that Jacques Rogge is in office as the International Olympic Committee's new president, his first job must be to encourage his vanquished Canadian foe, Dick Pound, to remain in the role he played for Juan Antonio Samaranch. In rising to his IOC vice president's post, Pound handled the marketing and television-rights negotiations for the committee. Both departments have brought in billions since his involvement. He accepted the no-win responsibility of being the IOC's internal henchman after the Salt Lake City bid scandal and had to expel or censure a dozen of his colleagues. Toughest of all, he became head of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA), and thanks to WADA, the year 2000 was the first in many in which the drug testers actually gained ground on the drug cheaters. The organization deliberately delayed announcing its updated testing plans until just before the Sydney Games. Suddenly, WADA was ready to implement a new test for EPO, the drug of choice that many athletes were using and wouldn't be out of their systems in time for the Games. Rather than risk a positive test, many simply pulled out with mysterious ailments. China left two dozen athletes home and then came clean with the fact that they had failed internal drug tests. This pre-admission helped Beijing in its bid for the 2008 Games because its team stayed clean in Sydney. Pound was clearly miffed at finishing behind not only Rogge, whom he considered a worthy adversary, but also Kim Un-yong, the Korean power player who undid his candidacy with hints that IOC members should receive expense money in the neighborhood of $50,000 a year. Many members found the suggestion offensive and reminiscent of the favors-for-votes scam that stained the IOC so badly over the last few years. The IOC ethics commission issued a statement the day before the presidential vote clearing Kim of any wrongdoing, but it also drew attention to his actions. "Losing to Jacques was foreseeable," Pound said. "I'm disappointed I got the bronze rather than the silver." Regarding Kim's alleged behavior, Pound added: "That's one element the organization will have to address. Dr. Rogge will have to make sure the organization behaves in an appropriate manner." There had been rumors over the last few months that if he lost the election, Pound would keep his IOC spot, but would resign from his posts with the IOC's various working subcommittees. Shortly after the vote, Pound sent a letter to Rogge telling him that he would allow the new president to choose other people to fill those posts if he so chooses. This essentially gives Pound a chance to clear his head and figure out how slighted he feels about the election results. "Of course I want him back," said Rogge. "I will give him some time, but we know his value." "If we lose Dick Pound, that's the single biggest loss to the Olympic movement," added IOC member Bob Ctvrtlik of the U.S. "One of Jacques' first jobs should be to work with Dick in some way. I'm trusting in the wisdom of Jacques to know that Dick is too valuable to go outside the Olympic family." One disgruntled IOC member and Pound supporter said he would have left the committee had anyone other than Pound or Rogge been elected. "I think some members who aren't involved in the difficult tasks of the IOC think these things just get done by themselves," the member said. "Only if they tried to do them would they comprehend otherwise." Sports Illustrated staff writer Brian Cazeneuve covers Olympic sports for the magazine and is a regular contributor to CNNSI.com.
| |||||||||||||||||||||
