Report Says Schiller Used Poor Judgment : USOC: No action will be taken against executive director after allegations of impropriety.

The U.S. Olympic Committee’s executive committee will take no action against Executive Director Harvey Schiller after receiving an independent counsel’s report this week concluding that he used poor judgment on several occasions that resulted in violations of the USOC’s statement of principles.

“Throughout this process, we felt that some instances involved errors of judgment,” USOC President William Hybl said in a statement released Thursday. “But we continue to have confidence in Dr. Schiller and his continued leadership in the U.S. Olympic movement.”

The counsel, Arnold Burns, was asked by the USOC to investigate after the national governing body for skiing accused Schiller of ethical and procedural improprieties.

According to officials from U.S. Skiing, Schiller threatened to withhold funds unless he was given two $3,000 gold passes that would allow him to ski without charge at any resort in the United States for a year.

Burns found that Schiller was guilty of an error in judgment in requesting the passes, even though Schiller later said he was joking. In acknowledging Schiller’s “unusual sense of humor,” Burns said there was no evidence to indicate that Schiller attempted to influence the USOC’s grant to U.S. Skiing.

Burns also found no evidence that Schiller influenced the selection process for the site of the 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival, although he again was guilty of an error in judgment when he requested, and received, a $2,400 ski pass for Colorado resorts from the Colorado Sports Council, which represented Denver’s winning bid.

Schiller also committed minor technical violations, Burns found, when he received gifts valued at more than $100 from the national governing bodies for skiing, biathlon and cycling. But, according to Burns, Schiller was not, as charged by U.S. Skiing, aware of the improper conduct of former USOC President Robert Helmick, who earlier was found guilty of violating USOC bylaws.

Burns also found no evidence of impropriety in Schiller’s handling of sexual harassment allegations made by one employee against another. In that case, none of the employees alleged to have been harassed filed a formal complaint.

Tom Leanse, general counsel for U.S. Skiing, complained that the USOC did not allow Burns access to essential testimony regarding the sexual harassment charges. But Burns said he was satisfied that the USOC had fully cooperated.

“I accept full responsibility for my actions, and I understand that I should be held to a higher standard than anyone else in this organization,” Schiller said in a statement. “I feel that my mistakes were of judgment and style rather than anything premeditated. I can guarantee that nothing like this will ever happen again.”

Times staff writer Elliott Almond, in Los Angeles, contributed to this story.