In a presentation to the United States Olympic Committee’s (USOC) task force Saturday drastic changes were proposed to streamline the USOC, and if adopted, the proposals would be the most sweeping changes in the 25-year history of the organization.
The task force proposed trimming the 123-member board to nine, eliminating the 21-member governing executive committee and strengthening the power of the chief executive.
Acting USOC president Bill Martin said, “in my 12 years of service to the Olympic Committee this has been the most significant meeting. The one that had the most red meat and not sprouts and tofu on the agenda”.
The proposed changes include giving the CEO broader powers and holding that person responsible for the success of the organization; eliminating the position of president and creating a chair of the board to oversee the nine-person group; limiting board members’ terms to six years – the terms will be staggered during the implementation phase and members with short terms could be re-elected; rewording the USOC’s mission statement to focus on Olympic athletes and winning medals instead of “being all things to all people”; creating four board committees – audit, compensation, nominating and governance, and ethics; having the CEO and another designated person speak for the organization to prevent media leaks; and creating an Olympic Assembly to serve in an advisory role to the board.
Vice president Bill Stapleton, co-chairman of the task force, said that the new Olympic Assembly would allow the sports and organizations to continue to have a voice with the board.
The task force also recommended that no member of management be allowed on the board, including the CEO.
The task force also called for a stronger ethics policy and improving the system for identifying potential conflicts of interest.
A final document will be presented to a Senate commission also looking at restructuring the organization. The group plans to make adjustments after the Senate commission issues its recommendations in June, then will present its final recommendations at a board meeting in September or November.
