Romney maintains the Olympics were profitable. He counts the help of the U.S. Senate, who directed $1.3 billion taxpayer money to the Salt Lake Games. Sen. John McCain (R-AZ) called it a "fleecing" of the U.S. Treasury. The appropriation paid for security, future maintenance of Utah's venues, sewage systems, transportation, weather forecasting, media housing, and horse adoption (we know the Romneys value horses given their London dressage competitor).
The third cover-up was of a bid scandal to get the Games. In December 1998, Swiss IOC member Marc Holder, Games oversight committee chair, disclosed that the Salt Lake bid committee lavished gifts on IOC members deciding where the 2002 Games were held. The gifts included college scholarships and jobs for members' children, and cash.
While Romney was not the Olympics chair during the bidding, he not only conducted no further investigation but awarded contracts to central figures. Former Utah Governor Jon M. Huntsman Jr. called Romney's selections, "cronyism at its peak." He gave several bid gift-givers contracts including travel hospitality owner Sead Dizdarevic, who admitted in court giving $130,000 to bid committee members.
In his book Romney said he "wanted to serve the community, not run for office," though a month after the Games, he announced his candidacy for Massachusetts Governor.
We all hope for a clean Olympics in London. While Mitt Romney showed how to claim a profit, his Salt Lake secrets we now know provide lessons of what must be corrected for future Olympic Games.
Robert Weiner was White House Drug Policy Office spokesman and was WADA's Salt Lake City Games media spokesman. Robin Campbell-Bennett is a two-time U.S. Olympian (1980 and 1984, track and field) and served on the USA drug-testing committee. Sadiq Ahmed is senior policy analyst at Robert Weiner Associates.
(Note: You can view every article as one long page if you sign up as an Advocate Member, or higher).
