Oly task force looks to make big changes

DENVER -- Members of a U.S. Olympic Committee task force wants to drastically change the dynamics of the organization's board of directors to take politics out of the decision-making process.

All 10 members of the USOC Governance and Ethics Review Task Force met for about eight hours Saturday to look at ways to reform the troubled organization.

In its first meeting last month in Los Angeles, the task force agreed the USOC's 123-member board of directors and its 21-person executive committee needed trimming.

This time, the group made preliminary plans to provide more power to the CEO and make the organization more staff-driven.

"We have to change the whole paradigm and the function of the direction of that board," said USOC vice president Frank Marshall, co- chair of the task force. "We have to change the culture that exists today in the USOC, so it isn't just a simple reduction of numbers."

Clashes between volunteers and staff members have made the USOC a place of political intrigue almost since its inception 25 years ago. But the latest turmoil has been nasty -- even by USOC standards.

The problems started in December with conflict-of-interest charges against CEO Lloyd Ward.

Eight top officials have resigned since then, including Ward and president Marty Mankamyer, and staffers and volunteers have traded accusations almost daily as they jockey behind the scenes for power.

To stop the tattletaling, members of the task force hope to implement a policy requiring members to reveal potential conflict of interests throughout their terms instead of just once.

"We've made a lot of progress on the ethics issue," task force co- chair Bill Stapleton said. "I think the overarching theme on ethics is that it's to be a preventive process rather than a police process."

A third meeting is scheduled for March 31 in New York, then members of the task force will present their recommendations before the full board Apr. 11-13 in Fort Worth.

A final vote on restructuring is expected later in the year. The board isn't scheduled to meet again until October, but Stapleton said the date might be pushed up so the changes can be implemented quicker.

"It's deplorable what we've been through, but it really has presented an opportunity for us to change ourselves," Stapleton said. "I think we're taking a very deep look at organizationally and structurally what's prevented us from operating efficiently."

Government involvement forced the USOC to get its house in order.

Congress has twice called USOC officials for hearings in Washington and a third meeting, this time before the House, is scheduled for Wednesday.

A Senate committee headed by Arizona Sen. John McCain has created its own task force to look at restructuring the USOC.

The group, which includes baseball players association chief Donald Fehr and NBC Sports and Olympics chairman Dick Ebersol, is due to present its recommendations in June.

Members of the USOC task force hope to give the Senate group a blueprint for the reforms.

"We're looking forward to being as much of a resource as we can to them," Marshall said. "We're very happy to have them to be there for us and we want to give them as much help as we can."

Other members of the USOC task force are: Cleveland Cavaliers owner Gordon Gund; former Salt Lake City Organizing Committee Chief Executive Fraser Bullock; Calvert Baker & Associates President Gwen Baker; USOC executive committee members Jim McCarthy and Lisa Voight; Olympians Cameron Myler (luge) and Chris Duplanty (water polo); and Paralympian Bob Bal

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