OLY: Olympic secrecy turning into an election punch up

AAP General News (Australia)
02-12-1999
OLY: Olympic secrecy turning into an election punch up

By Neil Sands, State Political Correspondent

SYDNEY, Feb 9 AAP - There's irony in the fact that an Olympics official, not a politician,
dragged the Sydney Games into the mire of the New South Wales election campaign this week.

For years the unelected officials have portrayed themselves as above the fray, content to
accept hundreds of millions of dollars from the state's taxpayers while refusing to disclose
exactly where the money is going.

Only with the utmost reluctance have documents been released and inquiries announced.

International Olympics Committee (IOC) member Phil Coles' endorsement of the current Labor
government has brought Games organisers crashing down from their Olympian heights.

They will find themselves increasingly under the spotlight in the leadup to the March 27
poll, particularly after the Salt Lake City allegations against Mr Coles.

He has stepped down from his SOCOG duties until, he hopes, the IOC clears him of any
wrongdoing.

The danger is that the aloof attitude of officials will fuel public cynicism created by
recent Olympic bribery and drugs controversies, undoing the goodwill built up so far in
setting up the Games.

The games hierarchy reacted predictably to outcries over the Coles endorsement of Labor,
refusing to publicly acknowledge the problem while frantically trying to repair the damage
behind closed doors.

Mr Coles personally telephoned Opposition Leader Kerry Chikarovski to apologise for the
endorsement, but refused to explain his comments publicly.

SOCOG chief executive Sandy Hollway was similarly camera shy, only acknowledging the
controversy by issuing a secret memo ordering Games staff to stay out of politics.

Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) president John Coates issued a three-paragraph statement
saying his organisation was apolitical and pointing out that Mr Coles was on the SOCOG board
because of his IOC affiliation.

Their response shows they have not yet cottoned on to the fact that things are different
during an election. People don't like bureaucrats telling them how to vote and they certainly
don't appreciate them crowing over securing a guaranteed $100 million from taxpayers - as Mr
Coates appeared to do on Monday night's ABC Four Corners program.

Mrs Chikarovski's fury at the program indicates the gloves are off over the Olympics.

She labelled Mr Coates smug. She said taxpayers were concerned the Games were being run
behind closed doors by a group of "Labor mates".

"NSW taxpayers have clearly been left in the dark, they're not having the sort of scrutiny
of the games that should be available to the taxpayers," she said.

She was angered by Mr Coates' dismissive attitude towards her plan to separate the roles of
SOCOG president and Olympics Minister.

His attitude was extraordinary when he said: "I won't agree ... they can't... end of
story".

The Games mandarins will find stonewalling tactics increasingly ineffective as the election
approaches and voters demand greater accountability for their $2.6 billion liability.

AAP ns/lk/cjh

KEYWORD: POLLNSW OLY (NEWS ANALYSIS)

1999 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.