International Olympic Committee president Juan Antonio Samaranch vowed yesterday to remain in control until the most sweeping changes in IOC history are carried out. "I will stay until the end of my mandate in 2001 in Moscow. There is still work to be done," he said.
His announcement came as the first meeting of over 80 members of the newly-created IOC 2000 task force, charged with reorganising the Olympic movement following the Salt Lake City scandal, got under way in Lausanne.
For the first time in Olympic history a host of outsiders have been called on to help put together the reform package aimed at restoring the IOC's image.
The IOC 2000 committee includes former UN secretary general Butros Butros-Ghali, Italian business magnate Giovanni Agnelli and former US secretary of state Henry Kissinger.
The most dramatic change to be solved by the group is how to select future Olympic cities. It was the battle amongst bidding cities that led to the widespread gift-giving that lead to the Salt Lake corruption probe that left the Olympic image in tatters.
The commission is scheduled to submit a preliminary report on June 20th at the next IOC general assembly in Seoul, South Korea.
The IOC ethics committee are still investigating what they describe as 14 minor cases of wrong doing and there is also the future of Australian IOC member Phil Coles to be resolved.
Hockey: An indication as to whether Leinster should have more players than Nigel Henderson, Francis de Rosa and Galahad Goulet in the Irish hockey squad may surface at Belfield this evening (7.30) when a young President's selection take on Japan.
The Japanese, who meet Ireland at the same venue on Saturday and Sunday, are preparing for the Olympic Games qualifying tournament in Tokyo. Ireland, while out of the Olympic reckoning, are continuing their build-up to the European Championship in Padova in September with coach John Clarke being close to finalising his squad.
There are two withdrawals, though, from the weekend internationals with Alastair Dunne (Cork C of I) being ruled out through injury and Lee Tumilty (Banbridge) having exam commitments. They are replaced by the Ulster pair, Ivan Steen (Newry) and Mark Irwin (Instonians).
As regards the Leinster challenge, the side includes 10 members of the Irish under-21 squad that won the Celtic Trophy in Cork in March but it will be extremely difficult to contain the swift-moving touring team.
Japan finished third in the Asian Games to winners South Korea and runners-up Pakistan, whom they held to a draw. Having the capacity to beat India and Malaysia in the process highlights the talent that will be on show at Belfield.
LEINSTER PRESIDENT'S XI (squad, v Japan) - C Henderson (Pembroke Wanderers), S Kinsella (Avoca); A Bothwell (Three Rock Rovers), R Beere (Monkstown), W Powderly (YMCA), D McKeen (Pembroke), C Kelly (Pembroke), C Brady (Avoca), A Browne (Glenanne), P Carley (Pembroke), S Butler (Glenanne), J Sherriff (Monkstown), S Kershaw (Pembroke), G Elliott (Three Rock Rovers), G Shaw (Glenanne), C Bailey (Monkstown); coach: A Kidney; manager: J Clarke.
Motor Sport: A Dutch competitor in the annual Isle of Man TT racing festival sustained fatal injuries in a crash during Monday night's practice session. Bernadette Bosman (40) from Lelystad was a passenger in a sidecar which crashed on the Kirk Michael section of the 37.73-mile Mountain Course. The sidecar driver, German Helmut Lunemanm, escaped injury.
Cycling: Italian sprinter Mario Cipollini won the 212km 17th stage of the Tour of Italy from Lumezzane to Castlefranco Veneto yesterday for his fourth stage win in this year's race and 137th career triumph. Defending Tour of Italy champion Marco Pantani finished in the peloton and retained the overall leader's pink jersey.
