McCain Pushes for Fast USOC Reform

With the Athens Olympics a year away, U.S. Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) is pushing to have legislation reforming the scandal-plagued U.S. Olympic Committee signed into law by Congress’ August recess.

Lawmakers should quickly enact the sweeping reforms to restore the faith of athletes and the public in the USOC, McCain said Tuesday.

“We need to have a new organization in place to prepare for the upcoming Olympics,” said McCain, chairman of the Senate Commerce Committee, which reviewed the suggestions of a Senate-appointed task force during a hearing Tuesday.

Over the last three years, the committee has had four chief executives, three presidents and endured a bribery scandal involving Salt Lake City’s efforts to land the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Last winter, long-running political feuds culminated in the ouster of president Marty Mankamyer, accused of working to drive out the committee’s chief executive, Lloyd Ward. Ward resigned in March amid accusations he tried to steer business to his brother’s company and reports of lavish spending on parties and travel for USOC leaders.

Frustrated with the scandals, McCain and Sens. Ben Nighthorse Campbell (R-Colo.) and Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) appointed a five-member task force to craft ways to solve the problems.

Last week, the task force recommended replacing the cumbersome USOC structure -- which has a 124-member board of directors and a 23-member executive committee -- with a 13-member board of directors that would run the USOC’s day-to-day operations.