The New York Times reported it on its front page. It was the lead article Friday in the Los Angeles Times. Internet surfers using the Yahoo search engine found it was one of four top news items Friday night.
London, Chicago, Paris — the story was big news: former Salt Lake Olympic bid leaders Tom Welch and Dave Johnson were indicted on federal felony charges. Here's a sampling of news coverage:The Independent, London: "The biggest scandal in Olympic Games history claimed more victims yesterday, when two former officials were charged with paying out more than $1 million (660,000 pounds) to get the 2002 Winter Olympics for Salt Lake City, Utah."
Los Angeles Times: "The two top officials of Salt Lake City's winning bid for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games were indicted Thursday on a broad range of criminal charges, setting the stage for a trial delving deeply into Olympic corruption just months before the Salt Lake City Games commence."
Illawarra Mercury, Australia: "A federal grand jury in Salt Lake City has approved a 15-count Justice Department indictment against two men whose work brought the 2002 Winter Olympics to Salt Lake City and very nearly brought down the entire Olympic movement in the process."
Chicago Tribune: "Failure to agree on a plea bargain led to indictments Thursday that could keep the Salt Lake City Olympic bid scandal in the news until the 2002 Winter Games begin."
The Washington Post: "Two former executives with the Salt Lake City Olympic Committee were indicted yesterday on fraud and conspiracy charges for allegedly orchestrating a wide-ranging bribery scheme of Olympic officials to secure the 2002 Winter Games for Utah."
The New York Times: "After rejecting plea deals in recent days, two chief organizers of Salt Lake City's bid to win the 2002 Winter Olympics were indicted yesterday by a federal grand jury on charges of conspiracy to commit bribery, fraud and racketeering related to the vote-buying scandal that erupted in late 1998 and threatened the future of the Olympic Games."
The Wall Street Journal: "Grand Jury Indicts Two Former Utah Olympic Officials."
Agence France-Presse, reporting from Salt Lake City: "A federal grand jury on Thursday handed down a 15-count indictment of the two men who once directed this city's bid to win the right to host the 2002 Olympics, officials said."
The Toronto Sun: "Two former Utah Olympic officials were indicted yesterday on charges they made $1 million in illicit payments to help lure the 2002 Winter Games to Salt Lake City."
The Ottawa Sun: "Olympic Officials indicted — Salt Lake pair face racketeering raps."
The London Free Press: "Ex-Utah Olympians indicted for payments."
Compiled by Joe Bauman