Salt Lake Olympic Bribery Scandal
I. INTRODUCTION
The Olympic Games took place in the United States at Salt Lake City, Utah. The tournament opened on February 8, 2002 and closed on February 24, 2002. There were 77 NOCs, 2,399 athletes, 78 events, 22,000 volunteers and 8,730 of the media. “The Games saw the expansion of the Olympic program to 78 events, including the return of skeleton and the introduction of women’s bobsleighs. Athletes from a record 18 National Olympic Committees earned gold medals, including first-ever gold for China and Australia” (Olympic.org).
The Olympic International Committee is the supreme authority of the entire Olympic Games, responsible for organizing and maintaining a successful event. “Acting as a catalyst for collaboration between all parties of the Olympic family, from the National Olympic Committees (NOCs), the International Sports Federations (IFs), the athletes, the Organizing Committees for the Olympic Games (OCOGs), to the TOP partners, broadcast partners and United Nations agencies, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) shepherds success through a wide range of programs and projects. On this basis, it ensures the regular celebration of the Olympic Games, supports all affiliated member organizations of the Olympic Movement and strongly encourages, by appropriate means, the promotion of the Olympic values”(Olympic.org).
In December of 1998, the U.S Department of Justice discovered that the Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC)of the Games might have been involved in bribery acts with the International Olympic Committee. SLOC admitted paying IOC members relatives tuition and expenses. They also offered the members free healthcare services by paying for their plastic and medical surgeries. The U.S Department of Justice believed that all these bribery allegations were done to ensure that the 2002 Olympics would come to Utah.
The objective of this paper is to evaluate using the three values of law, ethics and social responsibility whether the Salt Lake
The Olympic Games took place in the United States at Salt Lake City, Utah. The tournament opened on February 8, 2002 and closed on February 24, 2002. There were 77 NOCs, 2,399 athletes, 78 events, 22,000 volunteers and 8,730 of the media. “The Games saw the expansion of the Olympic program to 78 events, including the return of skeleton and the introduction of women’s bobsleighs. Athletes from a record 18 National Olympic Committees earned gold medals, including first-ever gold for China and Australia” (Olympic.org).
The Olympic International Committee is the supreme authority of the entire Olympic Games, responsible for organizing and maintaining a successful event. “Acting as a catalyst for collaboration between all parties of the Olympic family, from the National Olympic Committees (NOCs), the International Sports Federations (IFs), the athletes, the Organizing Committees for the Olympic Games (OCOGs), to the TOP partners, broadcast partners and United Nations agencies, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) shepherds success through a wide range of programs and projects. On this basis, it ensures the regular celebration of the Olympic Games, supports all affiliated member organizations of the Olympic Movement and strongly encourages, by appropriate means, the promotion of the Olympic values”(Olympic.org).
In December of 1998, the U.S Department of Justice discovered that the Salt Lake Organizing Committee (SLOC)of the Games might have been involved in bribery acts with the International Olympic Committee. SLOC admitted paying IOC members relatives tuition and expenses. They also offered the members free healthcare services by paying for their plastic and medical surgeries. The U.S Department of Justice believed that all these bribery allegations were done to ensure that the 2002 Olympics would come to Utah.
The objective of this paper is to evaluate using the three values of law, ethics and social responsibility whether the Salt Lake