|
 |
 | | | You are in: Special Events: 2001: Olympic Votes |
|
| |  Tuesday, 17 July, 2001, 17:11 GMT 18:11 UK Samaranch 'aided' Rogge Reports suggest Kim has criticised Samaranch Juan Antonio Samaranch has been accused of interfering in the International Olympic Committee's presidential campaign, by losing candidate Kim Un-yong. Kim was quoted extensively by South Korea's national news agency, Yonhap Un-yong, on Tuesday after a meeting with reporters in Moscow. Belgium's Jacques Rogge won the race to replace Samaranch, and Kim is alleged to have announced that the campaign was less than fair. "Samaranch systematically blocked my campaign," he reportedly said. "On the eve of the election day, he leaked a groundless allegation against me."
Kim apparently also accused Samaranch of plotting to extend his power and influence into Rogge's presidency. "I felt helpless because Samaranch lopsidedly supported Rogge to make him president," the agency reported Kim as saying. Kim, a South Korean, was embroiled in controversy 24 hours before the vote when it was reported that he had promised members at least �35,000 a year in Olympic-related expenses if he were elected president. The IOC ethics commission dismissed the case after Kim denied the reports - but the damage had been done. "Samaranch called IOC members, who were friendly to me, to his room yesterday and today to persuade them not to support me," Kim allegedly told reporters. Even in retirement, Samaranch, as honorary president for life, will attempt to wield his influence at IOC executive committee meetings, he said. "It is quite clear that Samaranch will try to administer IOC affairs from behind the veil.
"He backed Rogge in order to continue to control the IOC even after stepping down as president." However, Dick Pound, another losing candidate from Canada, dismissed such fears. "There's an expression that says there's nothing as past as a past president," Pound said. Kim said his campaign was hurt when Beijing won the 2008 Games last Friday and "European IOC members spread an opinion that Asia should not walk away with two victories". In an analysis of the IOC election on Tuesday, the Yonhap agency said that, with Kim's defeat, "the IOC's eurocentric and white-dominated fortress proved to be impregnable". South Korea's mass-circulation Dong A Ilbo newspaper said in a commentary that Kim lost the election because he could not overcome "the hurdles of racism and Samaranch". The daily Chosun Ilbo also said Kim failed because he could not demolish the "wall of racism". Rogge won the election to succeed Samaranch with 59 votes. Kim finished runner-up with 23 votes, ahead of Pound with 22. Hungarian Pal Schmitt was fourth with six and American Anita DeFrantz was eliminated in the first round. | |
 Rogge runner?Will new chief herald new Olympic era?   New Olympic chief  Stepping downHow will Senor Samaranch be remembered?
See also: 16 Jul 01 | Olympic Votes Top Olympic Votes stories now: Links to more Olympic Votes stories are at the foot of the page. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|  | | | | | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |
|  E-mail this story to a friend |
| |
| Links to more Olympic Votes stories |
| | | ||
 | ||||
 | | Back to top
| ||
| ------------------------------------------------------------ BBC News >> | BBC Weather >> -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- © MMIII | News Sources | Privacy |
SPORTS TALK 
