Sponsors should worry about bribery scandal, IOC consultant

AAP General News (Australia)
04-04-1999
Sponsors should worry about bribery scandal, IOC consultant

An Australian consultant to the International Olympics Committee says Sydney Olympic
sponsors should be concerned about the bribery scandal engulfing the committee.

Sydney-based St James Centre executive director SIMON LONGSTAFF, who's been retained by the
IOC to establish an ethics commission, says sponsors will start pulling out if satisfactory
reforms are not made.

DR LONGSTAFF is referring to recent allegations about embattled IOC member PHIL COLES that
his ex-wife received expensive jewellery from people associated with Athens' 1996 games bid.

COLES was sacked as Sydney Olympics torch relay committee head last week and he stood aside
as a SOCOG board member while the IOC investigates the jewellery allegations.

If the allegations are proven COLES faces expulsion from the IOC and the SOCOG board.

AAP RTV lk/am

KEYWORD: OLY BRIBES SPONSORS (SYDNEY)

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