USOC business as usual: Acting CEO to step aside
Six months of shaky decisions and turmoil came to a head for the U.S. Olympic Committee yesterday when its acting CEO said she would step down, bringing more chaos to an organization that was humiliated when Chicago's bid to host the 2016 Games fell flat.
Stephanie Streeter said that she would not seek the USOC's CEO job on a permanent basis, and that she would leave in the next 5 months.
The decision came just 5 days after Chicago's humbling, first-round exit in a vote by International Olympic Committee members, who ultimately picked Rio de Janeiro. It also happened on the same day leaders of America's Olympic sports organizations said "No" in a 40-0 vote to this question on a survey they conducted: "Do you believe the acting CEO has the ability to be an effective leader of the Olympic movement?"
The United States contributes more money to the Olympics than any other nation, yet the USOC is rife with infighting and turnover, perceived internationally as arrogant, and populated with leaders who are having trouble turning things around.
USOC chairman Larry Probst conceded that turning around the group's international reputation is not a 1- or 2-year project. "I'm talking 10, 15, 20 years," he said.
The USOC will hire a recruiting firm by the end of the month to search for Streeter's replacement. The next CEO will be the third to sit in that chair in the span of about a year. The latest upheaval began in March when Jim Scherr was forced out after 6 years of relative stability and success.
In other Olympic news:
* Tiger Woods will make a pitch for golf to enter the program for the 2016 Rid de Janeiro Olympics. Woods will address the International Olympic Committee in a videotaped message during golf's presentation in Copenhagen tomorrow. Golf and rugby sevens each need a majority vote by IOC members to be included in the 2016 Games. They were recommended by the IOC executive board for inclusion in the 2016 Games in August.
* Yesterday at the IOC meetings, organizers for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics promised a balanced budget for the games. Meanwhile, the IOC reported its reserve fund is still growing despite the global financial crisis. IOC president Jacques Rogge said the committee's reserve fund grew to $455 million at the end of August.
On other issues, Rogge said the fight against doping is "our absolute priority" and the IOC would not hesitate to call in police to investigate suspected doping.
He also said the IOC will maintain its demand that broadcasters deliver the Olympics on free television.
Officials for the 2014 Sochi Olympics say construction is "well on schedule" and the Black Sea resort city will be ready to host skiing competitions by the end of next year. Russia is building nearly all the venues from scratch.
Auto Racing
* Nelson Piquet Jr. is getting back on the track for the first time since his involvement in the Formula One crash scandal, test driving for NASCAR's truck series next week.
* Robert Kubica will drive for Formula One team Renault in 2010, replacing Ferrari-bound Fernando Alonso and partner Romain Grosjean.
Sport Stops
* Maria Sharapova was eliminated in the third round of the China Open, losing to Peng Shuai, 6-2, 6-4, in Beijing.
* Retired New York Chief Judge Judith Kaye will lead an independent investigation of Binghamton's athletic program. University president Lois DeFleur called for an audit of the program after the releases last month of star basketball player Emanuel "Tiki" Mayben, who is facing drug charges, and five of his teammates.
* Spanish hurdler Josephine Onyia received a 2-year ban after failing two postrace doping tests within 11 days.
