IOC: BRIBERY AND CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS UPDATE

Описание: (13 Dec 1998) Eng/French/Nat

The president of the International Olympic Committee - or I-O-C - has promised to consider allegations of systematic corruption made by senior Swiss member Marc Hodler.

Hodler accuses certain I-O-C members of involvement in vote-buying over the past 10
years.

Furthermore, In a growing Olympic scandal,

The Salt Lake group which won the 2002 Winter Games stands accused of rules violations.

The Salt Lake controversy centres on a scholarship programme.

It provided nearly 400-thousand U-S dollars in tuition and other assistance to 13 individuals - including six relatives of I-O-C members, mostly from Africa.

In a news conference in Switzerland, Frank Joklik, President of the Salt Lake Organising Committee apologised on behalf of the Olympic family and to the citizens of Utah for the embarrassment caused.

Surrounded by the media, Hodler said that he had been muzzled by the I-O-C president
Juan Antonio Samaranch - claims which his boss later denied.

He has said he thought five to seven percent of the I-O-C members - currently numbering 115 - were open to bribery.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"It's important to remember that Salt Lake City won the bid on its merits and not because of this programme. Now, although I was Chairman of the Board of Trustees during the bid campaign and was not aware of the nature of the programme, I must accept responsibility. And I apologise to the Olympic family and to the citizens of Utah for the embarrassment caused by the Bid Committee programme.
SUPER CAPTION: Frank Joklik, President of the Salt Lake Organising Committee

UPSOUND: (English)
"You just used a word that's been used one or two times here, 'agents', in the last 24 hours. You are therefore concerned that there are agents in the Olympic movement that are trying to buy votes?"
SUPER CAPTION:Journalist

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We are aware that there are agents and we are aware of the identities of at least some of them. What they've done or not done - we don't know yet. We do know that there is concern expressed about them. We will find out what we can about the role, effective or otherwise that they may have played in relation to the candidate cities."
SUPER CAPTION: Dick Pound, International Olympic Committee Vice-President

SOUNDBITE: (English/French)
"Q: (French) Does this stain the image of the Olympic Committee for you?"
A: (French) No, not the image of the Olympic Committee, but the images of certain people.
Q: (French) Which people for example?
A: (French) I'm not allowed to say?
Q: (English) Do you accept Salt Lake City's apology?
A: (English) Of course, of course. Salt Lake City is a victim.
Q: (English) Mr Hodler why didn't you appear at the press conference today. Were you told not to appear?
A: (English) Yes.
Q: (English) By the president?
A: (English) I'm not to say anything about presidential orders, nothing.
Q: (English) Your order was not to appear in the press conference?
A: (English) Yes.
Q: (English) So you had an order not to appear?
A: (English) Apparently I say too much.
Q: (English) Have you been muzzled, have you been silenced?
A: (English) Exactly, I've been muzzled.
SUPER CAPTION: Marc Hodler, International Olympic Committee Official

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