USOC chairman got message, avoided more chaos

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The United States Olympic Committee would have faced a lot more turmoil if Chairman Larry Probst had not agreed to conduct a national search for a new permanent chief executive.

Sources with the national sports federations have confirmed to me that two of the 10 board members, Mike Plant and Bob Bowlsby, told about three dozen leaders of those federations in a March 9 conference call that they would resign from the board if interim (now called ‘acting’’) CEO Stephanie Streeter segued into the job permanently without a search.

Probst had intimated there might not be a search when announcing March 5 that board member Streeter was taking over for Jim Scherr, who was forced to resign.

Plant, an Atlanta Braves vice president, and Bowlsby, the Stanford athletic director, are the board members nominated by the sports federations, known formally as National Governing Bodies.

Probst had been made aware of their intentions Monday before he met with them, as well as NGB Council Chairman Skip Gilbert and USA Gymnastics President Steve Penny.

Following the meeting, Probst issued a statement saying there would be a search but gave no timeline for it.

-- Philip Hersh