Ukraine Now Has Triple Weight in IOC

On December 13, Switzerland hosted those with power in today’s world of sports. A congress of the International Olympic Committee was held in Lausanne. The congress took place in what can be described as a businesslike atmosphere.

A series of scandals connected with dirty money, which IOC members have and allegedly use to secure votes in support of a certain city as a site for the Olympics, has largely marred the life and reputation of many sports bureaucrats. However, the speakers tried not to mention this. In general, the congress came off quietly and without serious snags. For example, the decision to renew the tenure of current IOC President Marquis Juan- Antonio Samaranch until the year 2000 took only a few minutes. As we know, the next congress will take place in Moscow. And it is there that Mr. Samaranch, as he has said more than once, wants to end his career as the leader of world sports. For it is in Moscow, on the eve of the 1980 Olympics, that Mr. Samaranch was elected IOC president.

Naturally, admission of new members to the IOC was worth noting. It is especially gratifying that among them are three representatives of Ukraine. True, former president of Ukraine’s National Olympic Committee Valery Borzov has already been member of this organization. But the other two representatives are there for the first time. 1988 Seoul Olympic champion in basketball and chairman of the Ukrainian State Sports Committee Oleksandr Volkov and 1992 Barcelona Olympic champion in the pole vault Serhiy Bubka, will now represent Ukraine in the world’s most prestigious sports organization.

№47 December 21 1999 «The Day»
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