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IOC Recommends Explusions
The following is a press release from the IOC at Sunday's news conference.
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(Jan. 24, 1999)------The
International Olympic Committee (IOC)
Executive Board today took swift action to
remove members who engaged in
inappropriate behaviour regarding the
selection of Salt Lake City for the Olympic
Winter Games 2002, and to reform the
bidding process and procedures for electing cities to host future Olympic Games. IOC
President Juan Antonio Samaranch announced at a Lausanne news conference that
the IOC Executive Board accepted the recommendations included in the report of the
Ad Hoc Commission chaired by IOC Vice President Richard W. Pound.
The Ad Hoc Commission was established in December 1998 by the IOC Executive
Board after formal evidence was presented to the IOC which indicated certain
members, and the Salt Lake City bidding committee, may have breached IOC rules
and guidelines.
The Ad Hoc Commission has worked diligently to obtain all appropriate information and
documentation relating to the conduct of certain IOC members involved with Salt Lake
City's bid for the 2002 Olympic Winter Games.
After receiving written testimony from thirteen IOC members, and oral testimony from
six members, the Ad Hoc Commission today submitted its report to the Executive
Board. In summary, the result is:
Fourteen [14] IOC members have been implicated by substantiated allegations of
inappropriate behaviour. Three [3] members, Pirjo Häggman (Finland), Bashir
Mohamed Attarabulsi (Libya), and David Sikhulumi Sibandze (Swaziland), have
resigned. Six [6] members are temporarily excluded with a proposal for their expulsion.
Three [3] members will be further investigated by the Ad Hoc Commission. One [1]
member is viewed to have breached guidelines and rules, but the Executive Board has
decided to issue only a warning. One [1] member was implicated in the findings but
died in 1998.
The IOC Executive Board has, therefore, taken the following actions:
1.To recommend to the IOC President that he exercise his powers to temporarily
exclude the following six members from the IOC, and recommend their
expulsion at the Extraordinary Session of the IOC, 17-18 March 1999: Agustin
C. Arroyo, Equador Jean-Claude Ganga, Congo Zein El Abdin Ahmed Abdel
Gadir, Sudan Lamine Keita, Mali Charles Nderitu Mukora, Kenya Sergio
Santander Fantini, Chile
2.To continue the Ad Hoc Commission's mandate to further investigate the cases
of the following three IOC members: Louis Guirandou-N'Diaye, Ivory Coast Un
Yong Kim, Korea Vitaly Smirnov, Russian Federation
3.Addressed a warning to one IOC member: Anton Geesink, The Netherlands
4.Decided to establish an Ethics Commission composed of outstanding senior
persons, a majority of whom will be independent, outside members. To aid in its
formation, the Board appointed a working group, composed of Keba Mbaye,
Kevan Gosper and IOC Director General François Carrard. The working group
will, at the February 2nd 1999 Executive Board meeting, propose the mandate
of the Ethics Commission to introduce globally-accepted guidelines and
procedures to ensure that the IOC conforms with the world's best practices in
self-governance.
Commenting on these actions and recommendations, IOC President Samaranch said,
"The Executive Board and I will do whatever is necessary to see that the Olympic
Movement emerges from this crisis stronger than ever. This is the beginning, not the
end of our work. We will continue to root out wrongdoing and expel any member whose
behaviour is found inappropriate."
As a confirmation of the IOC's resolve to eliminate all forms of inappropriate behaviour
with respect to the bid city selection process, the Executive Board has decided to:
Further investigate any inappropriate or unethical conduct as it relates to other bidding
cities. Reform the bidding process for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games by prohibiting
visits of IOC members to bid cities. Bid cities also are to be prohibited from visiting
IOC members. Reform the election process for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games by
recommending to the IOC Session that it establish an Election Committee to select
the host city. The Election Committee shall be constituted as follows:
eight (8) IOC members elected by the Session; three (3) athletes designated by
the Athletes Commission;
a representative of the International Winter Sports Federations, designated by
the Association of International Winter Sports Federations;
a representative of the National Olympic Committees, designated by the
Association of National Olympic Committees;
the dean of the IOC;
the chairman of the Evaluation Committee.
Furthermore, no one shall be a member of the Election Committee who is an
Executive Board member, who is a member of the Evaluation Commission or who is
from a country in which a candidate city is located. The Election Committee will be
chaired by the President of the IOC, who will not have the right to vote. Consider the
procedure of designating the host city by an Election Committee an experiment
regarding the system to be adopted for future Olympic Games. Consider what further
changes, if any, should be made to the bidding and election processes for the 2008
and future Games. This will be undertaken immediately following the election of the
2006 Games. Confirm that the sites for the upcoming Games in Sydney 2000, Salt
Lake 2002 will not be moved.
IOC President Samaranch said, "I want to express my sincerest apology over the
conduct of certain IOC members to the world's athletes, the people of Utah, the global
Olympic Family and the millions of people worldwide who revere the Games and hold
in esteem the high standards the Games represent."
"I hope the decisions we made today will demonstrate our resolve to never allow this
kind of situation to occur again."
