International Olympic Committee (IOC) President Jacques Rogge said the United States Olympic Committee’s (USOC) turmoil reflects poorly on the Olympics overall and therefore it is “of a vital importance” that the USOC be righted quickly.
He said during a conference call with North American reporters, “basically, this is not our business. We do not want to interfere into what is a sovereign affair of the USOC and the United States. However, you will understand that we are preoccupied (with the situation)”.
The USOC ethics controversy stemmed from allegations that USOC Chief Executive Officer Lloyd Ward directed USOC staff to try to steer business to his brother’s company. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell and others have called for Ward’s resignation.
Rogge did not. Instead he said, “we are not there to say we prefer this person or that person. What we want, legitimately, is to have a continuity so that we’re not confronted every six months or two years with a total change either in the elected leadership or in the administration. That is disruptive”.
Meanwhile, Campbell said that USOC employees with information that could help Congress clean up problems with the group will be protected by whistleblower laws.
He said he hopes employees and athletes will be candid in discussing allegations of corruption and inefficiency at a public meeting at USOC headquarters in Colorado Springs next week.
“I’ve been around the Olympics since, well, forever”, said Campbell. “I’ve never seen it more top-heavy with administrators unfortunately who seem to be more concerned about their own benefits than the athletes”.
