Hybl's IOC spot is subject of spat/ Fellow board member prefers

When the International Olympic Committee's executive board meets this week in Lausanne, Switzerland, it could be faced with a spat over Bill Hybl's September election to the IOC.

Hybl, whose term as U.S. Olympic Committee president ended last weekend, received unanimous support from the USOC board of directors that he retain his IOC seat as a representative of the USOC.

But minutes after Sandy Baldwin was elected as Hybl's successor as president, she received a call from Anita DeFrantz, another of the U.S. members of the IOC, who said that Baldwin should occupy Hybl's IOC seat.

Neither DeFrantz nor Baldwin could be reached for comment and Hybl said it's up to the IOC executive board to decide who should have the seat.

Baldwin and Hybl are traveling to Lausanne on Monday for a meeting with IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch and Baldwin is expected to support Hybl's inclusion in the IOC. She was among the board members who voted that Hybl should remain. DeFrantz is also a member of the board, but she had left the meeting before the vote.

DeFrantz, an IOC vice president, could have the power to force the issue on the IOC. Hybl did get the fewest number of votes of any of the IOC members elected in September and there is lingering resentment within the IOC over his role in pushing reform during the Salt Lake City bribery scandal.

That reform is what's responsible for Hybl's seat. Amid criticism, the IOC voted to expand its membership and include more athletes and representatives of Olympic committees around the world. Hybl won one of those expanded seats.

To qualify for the seat, however, a person must either be the president, secretary general or have a significant role in the Olympic committee. Hybl remains a voting member of the USOC board and executive committee and the unanimous vote from the board confirmed that the USOC wishes Hybl to represent it on the IOC.

"One of the reasons for our lack of influence in the world has been our lack of continuity in a lot of the things we do," Hybl said.

His experience is why, Hybl said, the board wants him on the IOC.

Hybl also said he believes DeFrantz simply thinks the spot should go to the current USOC president as a matter of policy.

The IOC executive board may or may not address the issue in its meeting Tuesday and Wednesday in Lausanne.

- Lynn Zinser may be reached at 636-0376 or lzinser@gazette.com

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