DeFrantz Reaffirms Support for Site

Then again, IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch remains firmly committed to keeping the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. . . .

That was the message IOC vice president Anita DeFrantz pointedly sought to emphasize at a hastily scheduled media briefing in Salt Lake City on Thursday, shortly after Samaranch’s comments to the Associated Press in Lausanne, Switzerland, had moved across the wire.

“I am here to tell you that I spoke to President Samaranch within the hour and he reiterated that we are 100% behind Salt Lake City’s efforts,” DeFrantz said. “We know that they’ll be great Games here and we want the athletes of the world to know they’re training for 2002 here in Salt Lake City. There’s no question about that.”

But what about Samaranch’s less-than-definite endorsement of the Games remaining in Salt Lake City?

“Within the hour, I spoke to President Samaranch,” DeFrantz dryly repeated. “He was very clear that we’re 100% behind the Games here in Salt Lake City. That’s as clear as I can be.

“We expect the Games to be here, we’re going to work with the people here to make sure that the Games for the athletes are here in 2002.”

DeFrantz was asked if she agreed with Samaranch’s refusal to resign as president while vowing to serve “until the last minute” of his term in 2001.

“Yes,” she replied, “because the corruption is on the part of other members, not on his part.

“He is president of the IOC and we are taking action against those who violated their oath of office. He has maintained his responsibility to his office. He will be president until his mandate ends.”