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Euphemisms don’t hide IOC corruption

Sports ‘n’ Things
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Trail Times Columnist Dave Thompson

Wonderful set of euphemisms from Bruce Kidd, who, despite not quite being a top tier talent, benefitted, and still does, greatly from the current IOC-bound international sports system.

For him, “problems,” like rampant corruption - do you really think the Olympics would have been awarded into a War Zone (Korea) twice in the past three decades without some almighty inducements for delegates. Vancouver only got the 2010 games because the then-bid from Pyeongchang was not lucrative enough for the delegates that decided (a leader of the South Korean bid was sacked because he failed to spend enough money promoting its interests) - problems that have not even been approached for solution, never mind fixed, should not stop governments around the world from draining their treasuries into IOC accounts.

For him, “problems,” like rampant cheating, are not enough to call for the necessary blowing up of all things IOC.

For him, the fact that flouting of the IOC’s own rules allowed an unrepentant fascist, Juan Samaranch, to extend his already maxed-out lead role in the organization so as to further enrich himself and insulate himself, through the appointment of delegates, from investigation, is a detail along the way.

For him, pressuring host nations (even accepting their bids, and their money) into deep losses (near bankruptcy in the cases of Greece and Brazil) is not cause to rethink the IOC concept.

Well for me, all of the above is more than reason to get rid of the IOC altogether, and spend the big party money much more wisely on the people that money (taxes) is intended to support. If Bruce Kidd’s life style is a little cramped by that very sane solution, I can live with it.

• I freely admit there have been some spectacular events, most particularly in snowboarding, on view in the past week. I just want to suggest that it would be nice if we invested much less in the grand show and more (but still less, if you get my drift) in the individual organizations so we could see such spectacles several times a year throughout the various competition seasons for the different sports.

• Meantime, spring is here. MLB training camps are open, making all intelligent sports fans giddy with the prospect of the near future.

• Also meantime, this is the last week of KIJHL regular season play. The Nitehawks will be in the playoffs and, if they can ice a moderately healthy lineup, perhaps make another of their patented long runs.

• Also meanwhile, the Smokies are working their way through a long trip against strong opposition, which might help them handle the playoff grind that begins on St. David’s Day. For them, too, a healthy lineup will be a must if they are to extend their excellent season to date.

Only eight (about a third) of the Smoke Eaters have missed fewer than four games. Only three have played in all 53. Trail needs for all hands to be on deck if they want to progress through the playoffs. If they can maintain a stable lineup, almost anything is possible.

One more home regular season game. Dispensing (paid for) leftover tickets won’t boost the gate receipts, but the more people in the building the more spending is done on game night things. Plus, exposing your friends to the entertainment showcased therein might encourage them to pick up the dirt cheap season ticket deals for 2018/19, which will mean more, “leftover,” tickets next spring, and bigger crowds, and so on.



Jim Bailey

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