IOC ASSAILED OVER DRUGS, CORRUPTION

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - The IOC was assailed about drugs and
corruption Tuesday, with the White House leading the call for the
scandal-hit organization to clean up its act.

"Recent examples of alleged corruption, lack of accountability and the
failure of leadership have challenged the legitimacy of this
institution," Barry McCaffrey, a White House adviser on drug policy,
said on the opening day of the IOC's drug summit.

McCaffrey said the IOC must institute democratic reforms and open its
books to have any credibility in leading the fight against drugs in
sports.

A top IOC official retorted that the United States has no right to
lecture the IOC when drug use remains rampant in American sports and
cited Mark McGwire's use of a controversial muscle-booster as a sign
of American "hypocrisy."

"If you go on the moralizing and lecturing tone, you must be sure
you're own house is in order," senior IOC executive board member
Jacques Rogge said.

The sharp exchange underscored the IOC's worst fear that the drug
conference would be overshadowed by the fallout from the worst
corruption scandal in Olympic history.

"We need to restore faith in the Olympic movement," British Sports
Minister Tony Banks said. "At the moment, it's sour and sullied. The
IOC's reputation is on the line. The British government expects the
IOC to clean up its act."

While McCaffrey and Banks stopped short of calling for Samaranch's
resignation, German Interior Minister Otto Schily suggested it was
time for the IOC leader in office since 1980 to step down.

"A constitutional monarchy in sports is harmful," Schily told German
television in Lausanne. "If someone is too long in an office, he loses
his legitimacy. Everyone has his time and everyone must know when it's
time to go."

Throughout the day, speaker after speaker demanded that the
centerpiece of the conference a proposed international anti-doping
agency be independent of the IOC.

This was a direct slap to Samaranch, who has proposed that the agency
be overseen by himself and run by IOC drug chief Prince Alexandre de
Merode.

"For complete credibility the agency must be headed by someone other
than an IOC member," U.S. Olympic Committee executive director Dick
Schultz said.

Said Banks: "We support a totally transparent world anti-doping
organization. We don't believe the IOC should be that agency."

De Merode said he couldn't understand this "lack of confidence" and
questioned the moral authority of politicians.

"I take offense that politicians don't trust me to chair this agency,"
he said. "Why should I trust politicians?"

Pointing to government corruption scandals throughout Europe, De
Merode said: "Ask people in the streets if there is a great confidence
in politicians. I have some doubts."

The conference was further jeopardized by wide disagreement on another
key issue: drug sanctions. While some delegates pressed for fixed
minimum two-year bans across all sports, de Merode and Rogge proposed
more flexibile penalties that would survive legal challenges.

The disputes came on the same day that the IOC cleared Australian
officials of any wrongdoing following allegations of vote-buying in
Sydney's winning bid for the 2000 Summer Games.

Rogge, the IOC official with oversight for the Sydney Games, said he
had reviewed documents provided by Australian Olympics chief John Coates.

Rogge said Coates had broken no rules when he offered $70,000 in
sports aid to two African IOC members the night before Sydney beat
Beijing by two votes.

"It was legal, legitimate and according to the rules," Rogge said.
"There is absolutely no problem in the way it was done. No cash money
was given, no under-the-table payment. Everything was
straightforward."

The Sydney case emerged as part of a widening scandal that started
with bribery allegations surrounding the selection of Salt Lake City
as host of the 2002 Winter Games. Nine IOC members have resigned or
been expelled so far for receiving cash payments, scholarships and
other favors from Salt Lake.

The IOC had hoped the scandals wouldn't encroach on the drug summit,
but it was clear from the start that was impossible.

Samaranch referred to the scandal at the start of his opening address,
saying, "We have taken all the necessary measures and are continuing
our investigations to ensure that Olympic ethics are respected."

The IOC's credibility in the wake of the scandals was raised
forecefully by McCaffrey, director of the White House Drug Policy
Office. He said it was time for the IOC to reform itself.

"The IOC must operate as a democratic and accountable public
institution," he said. "Its procedures must be based on open books and
records, open and recorded votes on issues, and an elected membership
that is accountable."

Schily, the German minister, blasted those who "sacrifice the
credibility of sport on the altar of economic interests."

"The IOC cannot comply with the functions which go with its role
unless this institution is completely reorganized and there is a
proper disclosure of its finances," he said.

The biggest debate was over the composition of an anti-doping agency
to coordinate random drug testing and other drug matters around the
globe.

The 15 European Union nations came out in a bloc later endorsed by
McCaffrey to oppose the IOC's proposal. They objected to the agency
being governed by the IOC president, as well as giving leading roles
to sponsors and pharmaceutical companies.

IOC officials chafed at the notion of politicians telling the IOC how
to operate.

Rogge said there was "no relevance" between the IOC's structure and
the drug problem, and took a direct shot at the United States.

"The IOC was the very first body to start the doping fight in 1964,"
he said. "As far as I know, the United States still has no anti-doping
law today."

Rogge said the United States is a country "where in professional
sports you see a lack of real anti-doping rules, where you see that
one of the biggest heroes, McGwire, is admitting taking
androstenedione, which is forbidden in all other sports around the
world."

Andro is banned by the IOC as a steroid but is not prohibited by major
league baseball. McGwire, who hit a record 70 home runs this season,
said he took andro as a legal, over-the-counter nutritional supplement.

Rogge sneered at American claims that andro is not a
steroid.

"Let's not be hyprotical," he said. "It's a drug that induces the
formation of testosterone in the body and therefore is illegal,
illicit and dangerous. Come on."