Wallwork says he's innocent
Posted: Sunday March 14, 1999 12:02 PM
AUCKLAND, New Zealand (AP) -- Samoan International Olympic
Committee member Paul Wallwork, who has been recommended for
expulsion, arrived in Auckland on Sunday protesting his innocence.
Wallwork flew to Auckland from Apia on his way to Lausanne,
Switzerland.
The IOC executive board has recommended expulsion for his part
in the Salt Lake City corruption scandal. The full membership will
vote on it this week.
Eight years ago, Wallwork's wife was reported to have taken a
$30,000 loan from the chief executive of the Salt Lake City bidding
committee.
But Wallwork said Sunday he did not know about the loan, as he
and his wife were separated at the time.
"I was not involved in it, did not know anything about it. So
how can you implicate somebody who knew nothing about it?"
Wallwork told One television network Sunday.
"I think there's been a total injustice committed by certain
people of the IOC. I just feel very, very bad about it. I feel
badly treated by the powers that be in the IOC."
Nine IOC members have already resigned or been expelled in the
worst corruption scandal in the Olympics' 105 years.
The IOC has recommended that eight members be severely
reprimanded, including Australia's Phil Coles.
Comparing himself with Coles, Wallwork said: "Of course, he
comes from a major country with a city organizing the Olympic Games
for next year. How can you possibly remove a person like that?
"To clear some people and penalize others, I find that
inexplicable in my view."
The Auckland-educated Wallwork works at the Ministry of Sport in
Samoa.
IOC investigators have recommended severe censure for Coles and
the highest-ranking member implicated in the corruption scandal,
South Korea's Kim Un-yong, both of whom narrowly escaped a
recommendation that they be expelled.
Both were told they would be kicked out of the IOC if 'similar
facts ever occur again.
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