Escándalo de Corrupción del Comité Olímpico Internacional

LOS JUEGOS OLÍMPICOS
ESCÁNDALO DE CORRUPCIÓN DEL COMITÉ OLÍMPICO INTERNACIONAL
Título original: The Olympic Games: From Pericles to Samaranch
Autor: James Petras
Origen: Z Magazine, mayo de 1999
Traducido por Déborah Gil y revisado por Mateu Llas, noviembre de 2000
!"
#$&%('*)+-,./#,&0 % )&.
1 22354!62!!7 7 2142!2 ! ! 4 2 8
9 7 :2 ! 34541 27 <;=4257 7 27 > ! 3 !4 7 6
>? !7 !7 42 @7 2!7 45 6 2 !7 8
A41 ! " 1 B C!C 7 6C?C C
/41 !46 6& C7 7 D?
7 4 8
9E&*E@&!4&& 4&*FF&* G&!4&*H& 7 :I & *J !&7 &F!&* !&&EKFHLIJ M(&F!-E&E&E-*&F&4&8
!&&7 &F E&&F4& &/6E&7 &/4-!-4& &
&4&4&&EHLIJ&&F * &1&F* G&!4& &ANO&&
&/4&
!6* & !&&!& 7&&&PEHL 7 ?/!&4&1&&F *F&F!&4&& !&&/4&4& &7 -G=;=&F4-
F&!&4&/!&
&&E &
Q & &!&
& - &I&&& &* !&&/4- /*&
&&/I & E&*89REF&E &!&7 !S;=&F4&T&U&U@&
& !&&
7 4&&(&!HL& 7 :9R7 *&!V7 "- &6E& /4&&7 & &/EG& 4& 4&&E8
W/ SNO&I
&F&7 /L E!&&?E &!&4 >&1&&E&/
F&7 /&& /!& X&/4& &/F&F&E&!&7 &!7 &I4&&EHLIJ >
6E&E&E !&&/&
&&4&*>F&
& &/*F&E>&&7 *89RE7 &/E&1&& !&&/ &I4&&1&&EHL- 7 : &**4&V7 "-E&
YZ !&*!&7 6E&;= !&&!* & &*Y5;= !-4 ![;Z &!&E (- /4&& &
&* !&&/4&*HIJ&&F Q &6E&7 F&!;=&6*
4R 7&&PEHL 7 ?I*& &
&(4&* &1&F* G&!4& &AN\&
&&I4&J !6* & !&4&&E]&U&U&]8&&F&E7 *E@&!&4& &/*G - &!&7 -4&* E&1&F
&8&^*"&/* &4&4&&I& F&4&4&&(4&*&!4&7 -1 :&!"&&!
E&&7 4&?/E&
&F&&!7 "&!-E&1&F!&&4?* Q &*7 *"&F*&!&* 4-E&&& 7 4&Y &
& &I4&&_NO&&
&Y8
1
`(4&&6E !&E"&&E7 &4& SaB7 !&* G!-4 -E&F &&E G&!&*E& & &1& 8&& Q &*7 @* & &
Q &*(&!- 1&F4&&EHLIJ&/&!-E& F&F &EF7 6E-&F&&E&(&!& Q &X&;ZF7 &!&&b
E &F7 &&!7 !&/&!Y&&*7 "&&!&F& &F&!&7 &!&( &/6* &F&I&* F 7 & &/4& c/!&7 &&
d F&E &Y8
!&1&F
& &/4& &
&&4&/4&*HLJ&!&*! /e&!& E&/E& &&1 &*89REHLIJ&*7 @4& F & 4-&(&!&
E&& *7 F&E"&&&!7 E&!&7 F& &4 Q &F&E&& 4& & &!&7 -7 &4& &/E !&4& E&7 &/6E&F7 * 4 F4&f(F&!*&>? Q &!&E&FF&!&4&!&7 &&!&7 &E7 @E&&!&4&4&&&(&ESa/gI;ZF! Q & E7 -E&&!
c/!&7 &! && &!&E"&8
&/& @&*7 E&/*FF&7 /4& !S;= &&!&E &/&!7 / !&4& 6E 4&&&/4*&![;Z &!3*4&*@SaB - 4&&(4&
HIJ&E&
& & &!&!&E&& * 4&47 @* 7 -&! ;Z &E7 &8&9!&*SNO(*&E&>&&& &!&E"?/*E&&F "&!7 &F&4- E& 7 &F4&&EE&1&& !&?/&!&E&&&(E&E &/ 4&F&I&F&!&F7 E &&/4 /*GF4& 4&
F@&E7 E&/E&F &&7 &E8&&&F&!*"?/E*&F -4 F &&!&EHLIJ4&;ZF&!&@& & 4&* :&
& &!
4f(F&!&E&8Sch*&1 4-!& 1F&& &!&F Q &E&FE&>& &/4& &
&4&&/4&*HIJ&&F!
1&* &7 &&!&7 & &/*E&&4& HL7 & @!&> Q -4 *7 &1&&F*!&& &!&7 && 7 E&8
9RE7 &E7 & 4& *7 &7 &F &E4&&EHLJ&&& - 7 G*&I- -1F&/ !6*& &EFF*!-F&E7 E&/E&F &&7 &
E ! Q &&E&e&1 E*4 F*&!&7 &8&9*7 &E7 &*7 & -&7 &F 7 &F ?/6E& &4&!&-&3*GE&!
&F&!&E"&8&iE"&&F4&G?/&& &&7 &G&E&*7 &&7 &F 7 & 4-E&F4&&E&*F>Sc/6*F?/jF&!4&&
&> Q & &!
4&F!&7 &E"&&I&X&&/&E7 FGS;= !& 4&&4E&!& &&!&/4& &/@/!&&7 &F /F&
& &!&/9&F&&&/4&
[a7 F&4&F&E"&&8&9!&E*&!7 4& &I&F&1 &&/4&E&F &&E G&!4&&EHLIJ&!*&!& &4&&E7 -4 &
;=& &I&&FE&!& &/4& !&4& 6E 4&&*>&E !& Q &&E7 @&! !&*!&7 6E&4&/&&( *&E7 F&E7 & 4&&!&4&
4 F
&&! 3*&E G&!&8
9E*&1&F!-4- /4&& &
&4&&I4&&EHLIJ&E1&&E&!&!*@ *& 4&*1&!&S;= * &8&&/ 4&& &/&& 7 E&
!6* & 7 !- &/44&G& & &/&!E&1&& !&&/&F
&&!&( !&&/K - !* &E /4& &!&&EM(4&
4G& &F/&!"&&7 & &E>& &*7 && &!&7 &/ !&
& &E&/&&1 * 7 &F &E>&E* &I*&
&&/I & */*E& &1& &!
!*&I* &4&4&&E8&&;=&&!&7 4&E&FF&* G!-1@&* E4&&EHLIJ&/&E7 &*7 & & 8&&&ANO&&
&/& E&
E&!&!
& &!!&&
&* ?/E&*& Q & &(4&* E G&!F& 7 6E-*- &3*- !&7 4-!&
&F!
&F&E&>& /* &4&4&&I*&& 7 &!S;=F&E &!&4Y*&!** &!&*Y5KFE&!&E&E &!&&A;Z E*& /?/&7 F&
E&1&E 4& &EM(&& -7 &&( &/ !&6E& *& &/&& &*F & &E8
9!E&
&&!4& &
&& >&&& -7 &&( &F!&*SaB7 F&!SNOF?/ &/E&!&7 F&7 &/4- &!&/4&4&G &F&E>&&
HIJ&"& !&4&&E*7 &7 &/&&7 &&(4- /&7 &7 *8&9E7 YFS;=&E !&& 3E&* G&!Y5& - ! E-
*&!* 4&*&E& F 7 -4 /*&
&&II & E&/E @&* E&E8&&Y& S;=&* !&& 3** G&!Yk?I YZ*&F* 3E&E G&!&Y54& &/E&&
&/I & *&I* &! ;= E Q &&/&!
&F&!&F&E-E&& 7 & E7 E&!
!&
&F!- &F7 &!&E -E&& * &_gl&E4&&&F7 ?/ &/&7 &7 &/E&! !&* 4&!&7 & &E8
2
&4& & &!*&1&F7 &F&( -F&!* !&7 &F!&* &!& >&&EHLIJ"&&!& &4& &/E& &&F* &!&
7 !&* &!& &/&& *&!6*& 7 *&!E&&!&E& *>& !&!&4&E&& Q & B&FE&&E G&!4& &/E&&
&
E&&E &
&&(4&!&4&&7 &7 &/4&4 ;=& &!&7 &/!&* &!&/&&4&&!&& 7 E &&(&( -
&F &8mL&?/ 7 &7 &I*& F&!?/E& 7 &!1&SNO &7 Q &&7 4& &/E&F&F&E &!&& Q &*& 7 !-K nL&1&&P/E&!&7 FoL PE&>
7 E8 M Q &6*!- /*&
&&/I & E&/E&- &!&F4& !&EF&&!7 (*&/E&&7 &I4&-FE&4&?
6E&!&4&(*/&F4&&E7 *8
*& F&&E G&!4& &NO&
&&/ & E&/&/!&&& 7 !&6* 7 &1& ?/& Q & &X&4- E&F &&E G&!?
E& F&E G&!4& *&!*&* G&!& & !&&E4& &/E&&
&/I - *&I4& Lc/!&7 && d &* !&E& F4&&!
E7 &!&_;ZF&E G&!&!&!&&& &E-E&& 7 & E7 & &!&7 &8&&4& E G&!4& &/4& &&4&/4&&EHLIJ
& E&4&/!&*-1 &F@!&E &/"&*"&/!&E &/&E7 &* !&&/4&*HIJ 8J !&E &E- /&F&&&E7 & Q &
4&&! 4& * G&!4&&& &!&E"K Q &7 &!& Q &"&1&&FE&F4&&E 4&"&&E7 &&MF>&&! Q &
E& &!!-&*!- 4& &*E G&!E&FF*7 &>&EG& F&E* E&&& ;Z E 4&&E&F&1 &&8&*&E&E&
F&1&1& &&!&7 E&
&& F */"&& *&F&6* !&4& &3E&/E&! &/& 7 !&&E !&& &E>& &/4& &/4&
E&&! *&E G&!
& &1& &*>&7 *8& !R&F&!*"&EHLIJ7 &E6*3/7 &!&4& &?E&(7 &!&E&& &!&E -! E& &E* G!4&&E&& &3E& &!&7 4& &/E&&
&&E8&V!&&E-!- 4 &E* G&!E&F &*7 *F ! &
F&&&E7 &I-@/F&4 *& &I4&"&&E&(4&&EHLIJ@&/&1& F7 -?I4&&&EF@&7 *&! ;=&F&! Q &
7 & &/4&* E &!&&E8&9E&F&1 - Q & &/
&1& & !&&/!&* !&& &/?/ /&F
&!& 3E&* &!& Q E& @&!F&& &E&!&7 &4&&I*&!&F7 &6**&I4& &/ !&7 &F*&I4& &/
&F!&4&&I!&&
&* & Q &;Z-!&7 &F@&!
/ *&/& 7 */1&@&E * Q &SaB *7 &!"&?*8&9/ && 7 !&7 -&!* &!& Q &&EHL- 7 :I *
4 /9*7 &4&&IVL!& 4&/* &1&& G-E&! &/F
&&! 3*&4&F&I * /&!& 7&&P*HL 7 ?/KFV7 "&M(&& E&1&F!&B &!&&I4& &/4& &&4&/S;=F *!&&/4&*HIJ 8
9! &/99VLVp&! &* !&7 &4 7 F &E4&&EoLSqpr/&FPI`( ;Z-!&7 &1& 4&&4& Q - /
&F!&4&&
E& &&F* &!&/& 6E&4&/4&&1&F &!NO&
&&(!&&&&E@&/ &F7 !&7 -&FY S;ZF&FY5*HLJ >& Q / E Q &&4& F &E3*& F Q &6E & &*
& !&&F8&9*`( &/E&!&E 4&& -*HIJ&*-!&
E& &&F* G&!&e1& *Y Q &4&&1&F -E&(4& & 4&&&([;Z E & &/F*&!&*1& &/&F*!*&/E&&!*F
E& &&F7 6E&*YZ8&& &E"&&E7 &*&!*HIJ&&E7 @&!7 - /&*&4&Y S;ZF&4&F&EY54&9R9VLV
&&?E&4&&I&&(E&F&F&E &!&&I*&!7 F E&&F 4&& 7 /4&*&!cC!7 &! -&F&!&E"&8
o !&
&!&4& &/&* &!&/&/&?I&7 &*7 6E&8
&/& !&* & &/E&F&F&E &!&&I4&9R9VLVp?I9RF&&> Q &
&*7 &!* !&7 &/4& &!&&I&!
*&!&E&F 3E&* &!&/?/&1& * 4&4&*7 @&!;=&F &E&/E&!&&F!&*"&(4&&6E& &&( &ANO&&
&
& E&/"&* &!4&4&& &/!&&&F*&!&/1&&!&[;Z E &*!- Q !6*& 7 8&J !&* &E*"&!
m&!&E&EP*>&!&4& &/&?E&F/*-&X& &/&E&
&F&4&F&/4 /99RVVp"&*!&* &4&&!*!&7 F&7 4]&U !&&/4&!&&!&E &/4&7 & &6E * G&!&! &I*&
&&/I & E&/4& !&6E &F!&4&&E !&4& Q -
HIJ&"&4&6* &4& &/E&&
&/KF!-7 :& !&/4&& *&4-E& 7 & E7 MF8
3
& FG!& * Q &/*F&& &E &!&&/& 7 !&&E &!& &/4& & &!&!&&*E&F&&! &*&7 4&
&F&!&E"&> Q &
"&"&&E"&@& Q -!&4& && *&!6*& 7 ( &I*&
&&/I & */&!&!&
F&!
@ Q & !&4&4& !&FE&& 7 & *7 &>&&F&E"&& 4&*HIJ&& Q &"&7 F&7 &4-4*& 6* F8 8 8 8 8&& Q &"
[;Z*7 &4&&46*& *&!&7 E&/1&!&S;= * &E8
r/&/"&F4&&1& ( &/YE&&
&/I - *&EY57 *?/E&SaB E7 &!"&&?/!-4 8&R!*&!7 &F &/
*& F 7 &F !&_gl!&*!- &&(&& &7 7 /4&&E !&7 F&E&4&*>&F& */4&F:& E&/!
E&!7 F&&!&7 &/ Q & &&/FS;=&E !&& & Q &*& 7 !-!-1&E- !&7 & &*/*-F* &*8
&1&F &&/&&3*&(4-!&&6E*&!&!&*7 F&E7 &F1&*&4-! /&F !* & &I&F & !& &/4& &
E&&
&/I & **8&9E*& 7 :&F
&!& 3*4&&(4&1&&F &E7 &;=& -4&&&(&7 &7 &/&7 &FE>
F
&!& 3*&E &!&/4&&&F7 6*&I&&& F&E>&?/F&F*&!7 &!7 /4&&&EF@&7 *&!&7 - &
& 4&/&&( &
6* &!&7 &/E&E & &*8R4&1&& &!F&"& 1& ( /*&!&*F/E&F&F&7 6*/?/ &/E&&
&/4&&1&F &!
4&6* 6*& * &/7 &7 &/?I- /&*&E7 &4&F&E8&^ &!&7 F;Z 7 &E&>&4&1&& &/*
&&(&!1&7 4&
&*E&>&!&1&&!&1&&7 & 4&7 !7 4&n [NO&>&&!&4&&3E4& Q &&E&!&E"&&
&?/"&*F!&&I F>&& 6E 4&@&!&4&!&&I4& &/E&&
&/I & E&E8
4
The Olympics - The corruption scandal of the International Olympic Committee
From Pericles to Samaranch
By James Petras
Petras is an author and professor of sociology at SUNY, Binghamton.
James
The corruption scandal of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) was an
event waiting to happen. The blatant buying of IOC delegate votes for holding
the winter events in Salt Lake City, Utah should be no surprise, given the big
business atmosphere that engulfs the operations of the Olympics. The recently
published 300-page report issued by an ethics committee in Utah reveals the
sordid details: free trips to Disneyland, free scholarships for children of the IOC
representatives, paid vacations, expensive gifts, etc. These bribes were given
by the local Utah committee as “financial incentives” to influence the IOC
delegations to vote in favor of Salt Lake City as the site for the 2002 Winter
Games. But that scandal is just the tip of the iceberg. Many cities across the
globe also competed and surely provided bribes since it was recognized as part
of the “rules of the game.”
The extent of corruption on a global scale has not yet been added up. What is
clear is that being a member of the IOC is a lucrative career for amassing a
small fortune; it is certainly not an “honorary post to uphold the spiritual values
of Ancient Greece.”
The IOC delegates are not the only guilty parties, however. A very tightly
controlled clique that resembles the general staff of the vertical trade unions of
the Franco era and not surprisingly is directed by ex-Franquista, Juan Antonio
Samaranch, runs the IOC. The corrupt practices of influence buying among
individuals in the confidence of the top leadership of the IOC strongly suggest
tacit or overt complicity. At best, Samaranch and his clique tolerated the bribetaking culture and at worst the leaders were parties to the sordid corrupt
practices. The Samar- anch clique run the IOC on the same basis as the
Franco regime: in exchange for a free hand in enriching themselves, the IOC
delegates were slavishly loyal to the Catalan caudillo who personally dictated
policy.
The IOC’s dictatorial structure allowed its members to engage in corrupt
practices without any accountability to the public. This secretive authoritarian
structure did not begin with Samaranch. He inherited and perpetuated the
authoritarian style from his predecessor Avery Brundage who for many years
showed an affinity for some of Europe’s most notorious right-wing regimes. In
that sense the corruption problems of the IOC are not products of personal
failings of individuals, but are built into the very structure of the leadership of the
organization.
The bribery of IOC delegates by municipal officials is based on the calculation
of profit. Political leaders invest thousands of dollars in bribes to make millions
(or even billions) of dollars in hotel, restaurant, and media revenues if the
Olympics take place in their cities. The basic source of corruption of the IOC is
structural. The Olympics is big business and like any decision relating to the
location of a major enterprise, cities compete in offering “concessions” (tax
concessions and other subsidies) to attract corporate investors.
Secondly, to attract the mass media and billion dollar contracts, the IOC has
eliminated the amateur status of athletes. This “professionalizing” eliminates the
very essence of the spirit of the classical Olympics. The “profes- sionalizing”
and “commercialization” of the Olympics means that it is a world wide capitalist
enterprise with great commercial importance—sports and athletes are
5
incidental. Given the world wide media exposure, the IOC has encouraged
multinational corporations to become official sponsors, eliminating any notion of
the Games as a place where athletes from different nations can participate for
the glory. Today, the athletes run and jump under the label of the competing
corporations (Reebok versus Nike, etc.) who see the Olympics as a way to
increase market shares and sell commodities.
The corruption of the Olympics is an inevitable and small part of the general
corruption and corrosion of the original ancient Greek conception of the
Olympics embedded in its transformation into a giant capitalist enterprise. The
resignation of the implicated IOC delegates will not change either the larger
picture or the operation of the IOC. Even the proposals calling for Samaranch’s
resignation (which is long overdue) while a step in the right direction, just
scratches the surface of the problem. His replacement most likely will continue
in his footsteps: promoting ties to the multinationals, global mass media, etc.
Without Samaranch, the IOC, perhaps, would have a little more transparency in
selecting the locations for the games. More radical proposals to make the IOC
more open and democratic in the way it makes decisions could be a step in the
right direction. The problem is that the national governments and organizations
that will be represented are mouthpieces for big business interests who would
encourage the same basic policies as exist today. It is important to note that the
national United States Olympic Committee collaborated with the local
organizers in Salt Lake City (Utah) in bribing some of the African delegates of
the IOC.
In the United States in a recent editorial the New York Times promoted the idea
that major private corporations should play a bigger role in “reforming” the IOC,
which is like asking the fox to guard the chicken house. The Times considers
the IOC as a “publicly traded corporation” that should be run by officials
responsible to its corporate sponsors. The current struggle in the IOC is
between the U.S. corporate-backed pseudo “reformers” against Juan Antonio
Samaranch’s clique of flunkeys. Neither choice is very attractive.
The major U.S. and European corporations that spend hundreds of millions on
sponsorships and advertisement are very angry with Samaranch for “debasing”
the Olympics and making them a less profitable enterprise to invest in. Already
John Hancock, one of the biggest insurance companies in the U.S., has
canceled a $20 million contract in television ads at the Winter Olympics,
claiming that the IOC has devalued the games (in terms of the capitalist
marketplace). It will be ironic if multinational corporations should
unceremoniously kick Samaranch, who has done more than anyone else to turn
the Olympics into a big capitalist money machine, out of the IOC that he tried to
serve...because he adversely affected their profits.
It is time to abolish the “Olympics” as they exist today. They are contrary to the
original spirit— they are not a place for disinterested athletes, or a replica of the
professional teams that compete on the basis of commercial interests.
We should start a new with a structure based on the original principles of
the Olympics. The organizing committee should be composed of amateur
athletes, popular sports organizations, and democratically elected
representatives from the social movements. Corporate sponsors should
be banished—the game should be returned to the athletes and the
spectators.
f( !
7 "&7 >Sq*"&& 4& *PI&;Z E"& !&
&& >&
&&&41&7 7 S;Rn SNOF&4&>- &*
[;R^&!&E"&&
-E"&&*&!4-"&&4;=&(7 "&&&!E&Sst&!4L;=& &&7&1&&&77 "&
?E& E*8
6