OCI to issue own report on Sydney

The Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) yesterday noted the publication of the Sydney Review Report and the executive committee will meet to consider the details. In due course it will then "address the relevant issues in its own forthcoming Sydney Report, which will be published shortly".

The OCI will have much to discuss. While the report noted that many of the positive recommendations echoed those included in president Pat Hickey's OCI policy document, they were entirely overshadowed by the blow torch and hammer taken to the organisation.

The most damning comments came from Olympic athletes, 40 of whom answered a questionnaire sent by the review group.

The review states that the athlete's questionnaire returns "clearly showed that the OCI lacked leadership and management" in the Olympic village, while "there appeared to have been no terms of reference as to each person's precise function in the village, nor evidence of any training programme of preparation".

The review claims that the OCI breached their own international charter, which states they "must work to maintain harmonious and co-operative relations with appropriate government bodies". This, they say, has not helped the OCI in the eyes of athletes, the public or sponsors.

The report states that governing bodies believe they are "disenfranchised from the decision-making process" and that the OCI has a "confusing" voting structure.

It recommends that the OCI urgently undertake a fundamental review of its constitution "in order for agencies to have confidence". It also urges the OCI to review its process of election of candidates to the executive.

Where selection procedures for athletes were concerned, the report questioned the technical knowledge of the OCI in making specific judgments on swimmers, and also pointed out that the OCI were at odds with athletes, who claimed that they could not get accreditation for families. It states that accreditations could have been used "to support the athletes".

Athletes also had "serious problems with quality and size" of their garments. When pressed on specifics, consultant Mark England added that there "was overwhelming evidence that the kit swimmers had was not appropriate".

With regard to competitor housing in Sydney, the report says "misjudgments appear to have been made by the OCI" and that the Irish Hospitality Suite at Bondi Junction "appeared to have lost its focus". From being a facility for athletes and support staff to meet their friends and family, it became "more of a focal point for tourists". The report adds that there was "widespread dismissal of this facility by team managers and athletes".

The report also strongly urges the OCI to review its "administrative structures in order for agencies to have confidence in a democratic and transparently fair system", while it must also "accept the need for full accountability".