Anita DeFrantz, whose term as the only U.S. member of the International Olympic Committee's powerful executive board ended last month, wants to be allowed to stay on at least through the 2002 Winter Games.
Her request comes at a time when concerns are being raised about a decline in the United States' influence over the international Olympic movement despite American corporations contributing about half of the IOC's revenues.
Not only does the United States no longer have a representative on the 15-member panel that makes most of the key decisions on behalf of the Switzerland-based organization, but DeFrantz came in last in the five-way race for IOC president.
Plus there's still anti-American sentiment stemming from Salt Lake City's bid scandal. Members fear repercussions from the trial of bid leaders Tom Welch and Dave Johnson on federal charges related to more than $1 million in cash and gifts handed out during the bid.
All this could jeopardize the U.S. Olympic Committee's standing as the world's most powerful national Olympic committee — and its deal with the IOC for a share of broadcasting contracts, including $34.5 million from what NBC paid for the 2002 Games.
"I think it's very important that the USOC have representation at the executive board level," USOC President Sandy Baldwin said. "I believe we have to very carefully protect our monetary interests and it would be my intention to do so."
SLOC President Mitt Romney is more interested in working well with new IOC President Jacques Rogge than in having a U.S. representative sitting on the executive board, organizing committee spokeswoman Caroline Shaw said.
"Mitt's relationship has been with the president, and it's been CEO to CEO. He had a good relationship with Samaranch and he expects to have the same with Dr. Rogge," Shaw said. "That's been the most productive for the organizing committee."
DeFrantz, though, said it's important for the United States to have continued representation on the board since the Salt Lake Games begin just six months from next Wednesday.
"I think an argument could be made, especially with the Games arriving shortly, that it could be quite useful for me to attend the meetings," DeFrantz said. "I have vast experience in the organization of Olympic Games from two of the previous ones in the U.S."
She stopped short of saying SLOC could be hurt if no one from the United States is involved in the decisionmaking process. "We'll only know if it doesn't happen," DeFrantz said. "My understanding of how the executive board works is essential."
To continue on the executive board, DeFrantz will need the permission of Rogge, the Belgian surgeon who defeated her and three other IOC members to replace retiring president Juan Antonio Samaranch.
Rogge, reached Friday in Edmonton, Canada, where he will convene his first meeting of the executive board, declined to comment. "I have not spoken to Anita," he said. "Before making a decision, I must talk to the person." He said he expects to see DeFrantz next week.
That's when Rogge will be in the United States to visit the USOC headquarters in Colorado Springs on Monday and the Salt Lake Organizing Committee on Tuesday. It's his first-ever trip to Salt Lake City and his day here will include a tour of Olympic venues.
DeFrantz is not seeking a vote on the executive board, just permission to attend its meetings. Besides the meeting in Canada that coincides with a world track and field championship, two additional meetings are planned before the end of the year.
This is the first time in decades that the United States has not had a vote on the IOC executive board. Jim Easton, the second-most senior U.S. member, may run for the board next February, when the IOC meets in Salt Lake City before the start of the 2002 Games.
Easton said he'll talk to Rogge, too, before making up his mind about running. He said he believes the new IOC president "wants to be a friend of the U.S."
"You should be nice to one of your biggest customers, who brings big chunks of revenue."
Rogge would not say Friday whether he is inclined to follow Samaranch's long-standing policy of allowing former executive board members to come to meetings. That policy was put in place when the rules allowed outgoing members to run for re-election after just a year.
The reforms adopted by the IOC in the wake of the Salt Lake bid scandal now require members to wait four years before running again for one of the positions on the board, which include four vice presidencies.
Dick Pound of Canada did continue attending executive board meetings after his term ended in 2000. He regularly reported on the two areas he oversaw for the IOC, marketing and the World Anti-Doping Agency.
Pound, who also was an unsuccessful candidate for IOC president, stepped down from his marketing duties after Rogge's victory. He said he will continue to head the anti-doping agency through the 2002 Games.
Pound will not, however, continue to attend IOC Executive Board meetings. He said being at the meetings after his term was up was "not particularly valuable . . . You can do nothing if you don't vote."
He also questioned whether it would matter to the success of the 2002 Games if DeFrantz continued to serve. "Your Games are pretty well-organized at this point. I don't think there are any warning signs," Pound said.
And if problems did surface, he said they could be dealt with by the IOC's own coordination commission for the Games, headed by Swiss IOC executive board member Marc Hodler, or by bringing in USOC officials.
Bill Hybl, the former head of the USOC who's now an IOC member, said it would be "a positive for the United States" to have DeFrantz continue to serve on the executive board as an observer. "There'd be no learning curve," he said.
Another former USOC leader, Bob Helmick, agreed. "It gets a USA representative into the heart of the IOC, where decisions are going to be made," Helmick said, calling it important "to keep a level playing field."
Helmick, who resigned as an IOC member in 1991 amid allegations of conflict of interest, said "there has been an attitude of, frankly in some quarters, USA bashing. If we don't have the power to keep things even, there are some interests who would take advantage."
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