A SENIOR U.S. U.S. ANTI-DRUG CHIEF CRITICIZES IOC BRIBE SCANDAL

WASHINGTON, Jan 15 - A senior U.S. official in the war on drugs criticized
the Olympic bribery scandal on Monday, saying it raised doubts about
whether the International
Olympic Committee could police illegal drug use by its athletes.

Barry McCaffrey, the director of the Office of National Drug Control
Policy, told a news conference that IOC reforms are needed if the
sporting body is to stop its athletes from using illegal drugs and
end blood doping.

Blood doping, usually linked to endurance sports such as cycling,
involves giving athletes blood transfusions to boost their red blood
cell count.

"There must be institutional reform if the IOC can do the heavy
lifting required to protect athletes from a doping regime," said
McCaffrey, who is leading a U.S. delegation to an IOC conference on
drugs in sports next month in Lausanne, Switzerland.

McCaffrey said the scandal currently sweeping the IOC will make it
hard to make progress on the anti-drug initiative.

"Clearly the institution is in serious disruption now," he said. "It's
hard to imagine how this issue can be moved forward if the institution
lacks legitimacy to address it."

The scandal erupted after the IOC conducted an internal investigation
into claims that Salt Lake City had offered bribes during it
successful bid to host the 2002 Winter Games. So far, it has led to
six suspensions and three resignations from the 115 member committee.

A vote on banning the suspended members will be held during a meeting
March 17-18 at which IOC chief Juan Antonio Samaranch will also seek a
vote of confidence.

The U.S. Justice Department is also conducting an investigation into
allegations that 13 members received $600,000 worth of goods and
services from Salt Lake City before it won a IOC vote to stage the
Games.

McCaffrey said the IOC should be less secretive in its dealings so
that it can be held accountable by people outside the committee.

"There simply must be open books in the IOC," he said. They must have
open votes in the IOC and there must be some connection between an
elected membership that responds in some way to the international
sports federations and to the national Olympic committees."

In the long run, the scandal could be good for the IOC and the
Olympics as whole, McCaffrey said.

"This crisis they're now undergoing may allow us to take a fresh look
at some very tough problems."