Mr. Samaranch, please resign

Allegations of corruption and unhealthy practice in its very formation against the International Olympic Committee had been rising for the last at least two decades. The IOC, as it is popularly known, is insulated from the outside world by a self-imposed system that is far from democratic. The Committee president, Juan Antonio Samaranch has been in that chair to supervise four to five Olympic Games. The core members are like a cult and many have been in the committee for more years than normal democratic would allow.

Despite the allegations, the IOC opted not to dig into them for fear of discovering dirt. But, the accusation of foul play in the manner the 2002 Winter Games was awarded to Salt Lake City was so hot that the IOC Executive Committee had to investigate. As a result, six IOC members have been asked to resign as an honourable exit or face forced expulsion. All the six are from the so-called Third World countries. Apologies for failing to find a better word. Three others have already resigned under the same charges of misdemeanour in their conducting awarding the Games. This is just the tip of the iceberg. The six, if they do not resign, will have the opportunity to defend their case, if they so desire. But an IOC executive reverberated Samaranch's opinion that they would serve the Olympic movement more of they (quietly) resigned. There appears to be an attempt to sweep too much under the carpet.

There are also suggestions, backed by hard evidence, that there money changed hands in awarding the 2002 Summer Olympic Games to Sydney, a charge vehemently denied by Sydney. What the president of the Australian Olympic Committee, John Coates, will admit is providing huge financial inducements to some African countries to improve sports facilities in those countries. Otherwise, Sydney' chances were slipping away. So, in other words, Sydney bought votes. There seems to be a very fine line between bribery and what is being advocated as having been done in good faith. Investigations of all alleged wrong doings in awarding the last few Games are now reportedly on.

As a precaution against future bungling, the IOC declared yesterday at Lausanne, Switzerland, that no IOC member would be allowed to visit a city that has bid for hosting the Games, nor will bid city members be allowed to visit IOC members in their countries. Has the IOC forgotten about neutral venues? If any IOC member wants to be bribed (?) and if a bidding city wants to, then they can always find a suitable venue in some remote island, away from prying reporters and flash bulbs. Furthermore, in these days of computer shopping and electronic communication, one hardly needs to move from his comfortable settee to make any financial deal. That is why the measures announced by the IOC yesterday seem not good enough to hold water.

Also interesting to see over the next few weeks will be the path Samaranch decides to take. For having been in the chair for precisely the period since allegations have been mounting, two decades, is last-ditch attempt to save his neck by finding scapegoats in less influential members, my humble suggestion would be to ask Mr. Samaranch to tender his resignation. At this critical juncture, when the Olympic movement is steeped in its worst crisis, he could not take a better decision to serve the Games. Unfortunately, Samaranch announced yesterday that he has 'never considered resignation as an option'. But for his age, it almost sounded arrogant. He has the support of the executive committee, he has been receiving many letters and many phone calls expressing solidarity with his leadership. I have rarely heard such brazen remarks. He wants to seek similar support from the IOC session in six weeks time from members whom he planted in the committee. Outrageous is one word that comes to mind.

For the sake of democracy, in honour of the athletes who shed their blood, sweat and tears, in consideration of millions of children who look up to the IOC as an ideal, who live to match the high standards of the Games, who think of the Olympic movement as the harbinger of their utopia, Mr. Samaranch you should resign. And, please do it before the IOC session. There is no need to prove the dictator that many have alleged you are.