Olympics Need a New Leader

The International Olympic Committee has taken some positive steps to limit the opportunity for corruption in selection of sites for Summer and Winter Games, but its leaders need to consider even more reforms before it can hope to restore public faith in the Olympic movement.

Responding to Salt Lake City’s blatant payoffs in its successful bid to win the 2002 Winter Games, the IOC board moved last weekend to expel six of its 115 members for accepting cash or other gifts from Salt Lake officials. Three resigned and three others remain under investigation.

Whether this action will rid the committee of all its rotten apples is uncertain. But the board has proposed removing the site selection process from the full committee and investing that power in a new body composed of eight IOC members, three athletes and four other sports officials. This would largely strip the IOC of its clout but seems appropriate, considering the clamor for reform.

When it meets in March, the IOC should also consider transforming itself into a more representative and democratic body. Currently, members pick the president, who, in turn, appoints members to fill seats as they become vacant. Other than choosing Olympic cities, the members’ job primarily is to represent the Olympic movement in their own countries.

The need for change is clear. The committee should lower the age of retirement--now 80 to accommodate Juan Antonio Samaranch, 78--and impose a reasonable term limit for all members.

For all the criticism he has received, Samaranch has achieved considerable good during his 19-year tenure. He added the first women to the IOC and brought in more members from outside Europe, which had dominated the Olympic hierarchy. But Samaranch also tolerated an atmosphere in which cities like Salt Lake felt compelled to shower gifts on IOC members if they hoped to win the Games. In March, Samaranch will seek a vote of confidence by the committee on his serving two more years. Since he has appointed about 80 of the current members, he’ll probably return. But if the IOC really wants to put this scandal behind it, now is the time to thank Samaranch for his long service and choose a younger, reform-minded successor.