The Olympic Games were born in Greece in a spirit of good sportsmanship and the belief that a sound body enhanced a sound mind. The Games were held in Greece for more than 1,000 years. They were banned in A.D. 394, a period of despair, apathy, wars and mistrust.
In 1896 the Olympic Games were revived and, except for years of war, continued with the same spirit of high-minded sportsmanship and competition.We are in the midst of various investigations and media stories on activities by some members of the Utah cadre of Olympic organizations that could result in criminal charges and indictments.
The criminal aspects of the activities, by themselves, are not the most important part of the activities. What is most important is that a relatively small cadre of people have degraded and undermined the spirit of good sportsmanship and fair competition that should guide the Olympic movement. Interestingly, the Utah campaign for the Olympics was not the result of fair, informed voting by Utah citizens.
It is not even clear it was the consensus of our Legislature. Instead, the movement was conceived and pursued by a relatively small number of overzealous people who were supplemented by appointment of a few people in high places. The appointments should have been made with commitments of trust and fair dealing. It seems obvious that was not the case.
Utah is a state with a great number of honest men and women with good judgment and high ability. Yet it seems that time after time, many of the same small group are appointed to high positions of trust on boards and commissions as if with a "cookie-cutter" guideline.
It would be unwise for Utahns to now demonstrate lack of support for the Olympics. It would be unwise, without knowing all the facts and circumstances, to judge criminal or civil liability.
However, what citizens can and should do is demand that our leaders broaden their search and selection for leaders, and those who exercised bad judgment or who are the subject of the appearance of impropriety should be removed from their positions. And they should not continue to be reappointed to positions requiring trust and good judgment.
Denial of knowledge of wrongdoing is one thing. Continuation of bad judgment is another.
Leonard J. Lewis
Salt Lake City