OLY: Pound lashes Knight over relations with sponsors

AAP General News (Australia)
02-17-2000
OLY: Pound lashes Knight over relations with sponsors

A major rift between the International Olympic Committee and Sydney Games organisers
opened today over claims MICHAEL KNIGHT alienated international sponsors.

IOC vice-president and marketing supremo DICK POUND attacked Mr KNIGHT and other SOCOG
managers for having a dysfunctional relationship with Olympic sponsors.

And he accused them of bad mouthing the most successful marketing program in Games history.

Mr POUND says the IOC is frustrated at the bad press for the Sydney Olympic marketing
program, even though SOCOG has raised almost $700 million in sponsorship, 90 per cent
of what was raised in Atlanta.

He blames senior management, including Mr KNIGHT, for the bad publicity which has spread
worldwide and has affected SOCOG's relationship with its sponsors.

Mr POUND, chairman of the IOC marketing commission, is one of the frontrunners to take
over the presidency from JUAN ANTONIO SAMARANCH next year and a good marketing platform
is essential to his success.

The IOC's broadside came prior to a SOCOG press conference, where Mr KNIGHT announced
a package to repair the final $36 million hole in the Games budget.

IOC marketing official MICHAEL PAYNE says the SOCOG board needs to make the $36 million
in cuts because they spent their profit two years ago.

AAP RTV knr/jds/mo/as/wz

KEYWORD: OLY SPONSORS (SYDNEY)

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