Killy: Quick action needed to restore IOC credibility
Posted: Thursday December 17, 1998 11:59 AM
PARIS, France (AP) -- Expressing shock at the latest allegations of
corruption in the Olympic movement, French IOC member Jean-Claude
Killy said Thursday the movement needs to act quickly and firmly to
restore credibility.
The Olympic movement is in shock following Marc Hodler's
allegations of corruption in the bidding and selection process for
host cities.
Hodler, a high-ranking International Olympic Committee member,
claimed misconduct in Salt Lake City's successful bid for the 2002
winter games, describing a scholarship fund formed by organizers as
a bribe.
He then escalated the scandal by alleging misconduct in the
awarding of the summer games to Atlanta (1996) and Sydney (2000)
and winter games to Nagano (1998).
Killy, attending the official launch of Paris' bid to stage the
2008 games, said he was surprised at the breadth of Hodler's
allegations.
"I am surprised he spoke about Atlanta. There is only proof in
the case of Salt Lake City," Killy told The Associated Press.
"Hodler has generalized, and I don't like to do that."
Killy serves on the IOC's finance and the Salt Late City control
committee, both chaired by Hodler, and headed Albertville's
successful bid for the 1992 Winter Games.
"Hodler is very honest and I have enormous respect for him,"
Killy said. "But what he said surprised me."
Killy, a French IOC member, expects a new system of host city
selection to be in place by 2001, the year when the 2008 venue will
be decided.
Hodler's suggestion of taking the decision away from the general
IOC membership and assigning it to a smaller panel has its merits,
Killy said.
But he added that concentrating decision-making would prove
controversial.
"The universalism of the Olympic movement is very important,"
he said. "I believe that the IOC will take adequate measures. But
it must act quickly. We must face a real problem."
Killy said he personally was unaware of corruption in the
selection of host venues. However, "I am not saying that it
doesn't exist," he added.
Organizers of the Paris bid sought to separate themselves from
the scandal rocking the Olympic movement.
"It doesn't worry me," said Paris mayor Jean Tiberi at the
launch. "It changes nothing."
Other candidates for the 2008 games include early favorite
Beijing; Toronto; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Buenos Aires, Argentina;
Istanbul, Turkey; Osaka, Japan, and Seville, Spain.
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
| 
