Committee approached for kickbacks
Posted: Saturday January 23, 1999 03:17 PM
ANKARA, Turkey (AP) -- The Turkish Olympic Committee that twice
lost out on bids to hold the games in Istanbul said Saturday it was
also approached for kickbacks in return for venue votes.
Yalcin Aksoy, an official for Istanbul's failed bids for the
2000 and 2004 games, said Turkish officials were not surprised when
a bribery scandal surrounding IOC members broke out.
"We too were approached by people -- let's say agents -- offering
votes in return for kickbacks and favors," Aksoy told The
Associated Press by telephone. He refused to give details.
Aksoy said as a state-run organization with strict anti-bribery
rules, the committee was not able to respond to the demands.
"A great injustice was made against Istanbul in 2004," Aksoy
said. "We have always maintained that Istanbul was put at a
disadvantage."
Aksoy's assertions came as Olympic leaders began considering
whether to expel members accused in the biggest corruption scandal
in the games' history.
Two members resigned this week. IOC president Juan Antonio
Samaranch said as many as seven others face the possibility of
expulsion.
"We are not saying that all IOC members are corrupt, but out of
the hundred odd members it is natural to have a few rotten
apples," Aksoy said.
Aksoy said the Turkish committee opposed calls for Samaranch's
resignation. He instead urged a rapid overhaul of Olympic selection
system.
"Samaranch's leaving would not solve anything," Aksoy said.
"There are great injustices in the current system. We need to set
out strict and just criteria and rules for the selection before
anything else."
Copyright 2003 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
| 
