1999-01-16
You will be reassured to know that Juan Antonio Sammaggot has investigated himself, in the wake of the latest Olympic scandal. He did a thorough investigation. He asked himself many probing questions. He challenged all of his own assertions and demanded the truth. And his conclusion? Not only is Samaranch not guilty of corruption-- he is also a dedicated, noble person who has sacrificed his life so that others can accept illegal bribes, travel the world staying at five-star hotels, and squander tax-payer's money with near-impunity.
The real farce here is that the press is shocked-- shocked, I say-- that Olympic officials have accepted bribes from cities bidding to be the hosts of the summer or winter Olympics. This is not news. The media, for their own mysterious reasons, have suddenly descended like a pack of ravenous dogs upon the most recent incidents and trumpeted them to the front pages. Must have been a slow day for the impeachment hearings.
"I am not a rich man," says Samaranch. "I am a normal man." A "normal" man who rules the Olympic movement with an iron-fist, appoints all the members, disburses favours like some rotting old monarch, and is accountable to no one. A "normal" man who used to belong to the fascist youth movement in his native Spain.
Conspicuous by their enthusiasm, the American Olympic Committee defends Samaranch. Why shouldn't they? Samaranch has been smart enough to see which way the wind blows, and where the smell of money comes from. The Olympics have been restructured into America's games. America seems to be entitled to host either the summer or winter Olympics every other cycle. Rule changes, advertising, schedules, housing arrangements, media rights, are all coordinated to reflect the interests and profit of the Americans. Events in which Americans are likely winners are always scheduled for American prime-time. Of course they love him.
Until Samaranch himself resigns, it's going to be more and more of the same. The only solution is the same one I advocated last year: a new Olympic organization that is set up to be directly accountable to the athletes of the participating nations. The entire Olympic movement has to be purged of the infestation of groupies, administrators, "trainers", "coaches", "officials", and pencil-pushers who travel the world at our expense staying in luxury hotels and taking part in ceremonies like so many blood-sucking maggots.
And the best way to start is to remove the biggest maggot of them all.
Copyright © 1999 Bill Van Dyk All rights reserved.