Sports ethics topic of talk by Olympics official

Janet Reno and Donald Trump were not the only dignitaries speaking on campus last Thursday. Minutes after Trump began taping an episode of the CNBC political talk show Hardball at Irvine Auditorium, Anita DeFrantz -- the U.S. representative to the International Olympic Committee -- spoke on a more morally charged issue in a speech entitled "Ethics in Sports: Deciding the Game" at the Penn Law School. The talk was part of the Institute for Law and Economics lecture series, which, according to Law Professor and institute head Michael Wachter, "brings together faculty and students to see the critical role that alumni play in the economy." A crowd of about 50 Law students and professors came to hear DeFrantz's view on the role of ethics in sports and her experiences as an African-American woman in the mostly white field of sports law and management. DeFrantz began on a positive note, reflecting on the high level of thought and decision making involved in athletics, and the phenomenon that humans "derive joy" from participating in sports. She also praised the advances made in terms of equity in sports. "Sports belong to us all," she said, noting that women will be able to participate in all but two Olympic events by the 2000 games. But DeFrantz's optimism soon faded as she brought up the "bad news" -- the recently publicized scandals associated with the IOC concerning the Olympic site selection process. The problems originated in 1980, when the IOC proposed the idea of corporate sponsorships so that Los Angeles would be able to afford to host the 1984 Summer Olympics. While intended to be beneficial, the involvement of corporations and money in the Olympics took a turn, ultimately snowballing with the Salt Lake City bribery scandal that saw several members of the IOC expelled or resign. The committee's investigation found that Salt Lake City officials gave IOC members gifts, backed by corporate sponsors -- in excess of the amounts permitted -- in the hopes of hosting the 2002 Winter Games. DeFrantz, who worked for the Senate Commerce Committee investigating the scandal, was later appointed to a new reform committee on the IOC, and is often mentioned as a possible successor to IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch when his term ends next year. DeFrantz expressed her hope that the IOC will be completely reformed by the end of this year. Looking beyond the recent scandal, she encouraged the audience to celebrate the excellence of the Olympics and the athletes involved. "Sports are built on the rules," DeFrantz said. "When you get into the game, you decide to accept these rules." Afterwards, students said they found Defrantz's views enlightening. "It was inspiring to hear DeFrantz speak as an African-American female who graduated from law school in a time when it was not easy to do so," said Damon Hewitt, a third-year Law student. "She exemplifies the dignified leaders that Penn Law produces on an international level." Giovanni Turner, a first-year Law student, added, "It was very interesting to hear a view on athletics and law that did not focus on sports agencies."

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