Als The Salt Lake Tribune THE OLYMPICS Sunday, May28, 2000 Ex-IOC Member From Libya Denies Accusations of Bribery BY MIKE GORRELL ‘THESALT LAKETRIBUNE RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Was his son’s “scholarship” a bribe? The question prompted Bashir Mohamed Attarabulsi to bolt forward in the wicker chair at the seaside Sofitel Hotel where he was representing Libya at a meeting of National Olympic Committee offi-. cials. Only then did his voice rise above thesoft, measured, ultrapolite tone that persisted through- out a 90-minute interview about IOC Leadership Unimpressed by his resignation from the International Olympic Committee following revelations that the Salt Lake look from this side, yes, I should 2002. Even if none of the 10 IOC members purged in the scandal not have accepted, especially be- voted for Salt Lake, the city would “When you think deeply and $20,000 to send oneofhis sons, Suhel, to college. “Neverdid Tom or Davetell me to vote for Salt Lake City. Never,” fore the election” in 1995 whenSalt Lake City was picked by the IOC, in an unprecedented first-round vote,— stage the 2002 Winter Gam shot back Attarabulsi, 62, reciting the same logic as formerbid lead- without thinking it would be a Bid Committee spent close to ers Welch and Johnsonthata reciprocal agreement was needed for a bribe to occur ("T'll dothis for you if you do that for me”). A mistake? Certainly, said the 45-year veteran ofthe Libyan sports establishment. “Butiin mysituation, I accepted bribe. . . . The U.S. gives scholar- ships to many countries,” he added. The idea never arose, Attarabulsi continued, because Salt for Bid Committee staff member Bob Hunter, whose family “adopt- have won. Hands down. Canadian Richard Pound, the IOC vice president who led his group’s scandal investigation, ac- documents concerning the court- of knowing what truly was in Lake City did not need to buy Welch’s heart when Tom struck up votes.It was the best candidate for the relationship, Attarabulsi said pulDUCT CLEANING And he maintains great regard ed” his son Suhel and watched out for him in the three post-selection years he attended Utah colleges, a tenure that ended prematurely whenthe scandal broke. Theinterview and twoinches of cused Salt Lake bid boosters ofbeing two-faced louts who entrapped IOC members under the guise of friendship. Attarabulsi does not think so. Although he has no way Lake Olympic boosters did not act in secrecy. The bid and organizing committees worked for years with the U.S. State Department and embassies in Tunis, Paris and Switzerlandto obtain visas for various Attarabulsi members to come to the United States. After a lengthy effort, a student visa was secured for Suhel..On twooccasions in 1997, SLOC verified for the State Department that “through a school “Idon’t blame him. . . Hedidn’t take advantage ofme.” ship of Attarabulsi — obtained by The Tribune through the Salt Lake Organizing Committee’s openrecords policy — reinforce the notion that legitimate friendships developed during the long campaign for the Games. They clearly show that Salt grant program, [we are] currently paying tuition and living expenses for Suhel Bashir Attarabulsi.” In November1998, weeks before the scandal erupted, SLOC outlined that support for the Libyan See next page ANNIVERSARYSALE ‘Geld’ Document We’re Utah’s Largest Air Duct Cleane @ Continued from A-1 cat Duct Pros 355-8719 the scandal. Butit was the disclosure of a SLOCletter to his daughter, Sonia, notifying her that her committee-funded college scholarship was about to end, that precip- itated the upheaval. The connection between their improprieties and the meaning of geld had fueled speculation that the document v “blueprint” for the tainted strategy employed by the Sait Lake Bid Committeeto secure the 2002 Winter Games. But interest in the document Peimomen! “Tm 26 Lbs. Lighter!” “Tm at mygoal weight and I look great! Thanks to hypnosis,I’ve lost my weightfor life!” POSITIVE CHANGES HYPNOSIS deflated quickly when Romneyal- lowed its public dissemination after SLOC’s outside attorneys droppedtheir previous opposition to therelease. Justice officials apparently re- moved those concerns with the release Thursdayofa letterclarify- ing that SLOCwasnot, at present, a target of theinvestigation. Salt Lake Ci 484-SLIM (7546) 226-8446 ‘Ann 941 ae eee ie erican Cancer Socie' a Jerry Procopio noeve 202 At 540 North e yal .ding a ae non Jeune eeapnosis creening 10€ hies Ct ission Chairman Keba Mbaye of Senegal said . eee of Pee BYU Pr new handmaderugs and Kelim from Persia, Pakistan, India, Turkey, China, Afghanistan, and Caucasus have been significantly discounted for our semi-annual sale. Wealso offer hand cleaning, restoration, appraisal, high quality rag pad, free pick-up and delivery. Buy/trade old rugs. Adib’s Rug Gallery 3142 SOUTH HIGHLANDDRIVE (ABOUT 1400 EAST) SALT LAKE CITY (801) 484-6364 (888) 445-RUGS HRS. MON-SAT 10AM-6PM _ he woulddistribute the document to the other members Saturday. “OnceI get all the replies, then I will see whether or not to hold a meeting ontheissue,” he said. No future meetings of the ethics com- First Security HomeEquity Line. Director General Francois rd VARIABLE RATES AS LOW AS said he expects a meeting 370 @ APR* likely will be held before or during the Sydney Summer Olympics in September. Mbayedidsay he was surprised about the document's release Fridayafternoon since Romney had metwith the IOC Executive Board (Mbaye is a member) just Thursday and made no commentabout it. He also said that whoever wrote it for the bid committee was wrong. oc OF 5/17/00 A sentence next to Mbaye’s name said “Salt Lake visit at all costs.” But, he noted, “I shall go at all costs? I didn’t go, soit failed.” IOCVice President Kevan Gosper, who was an ethics commission member until that body investigated him forallegedly receiving an improper family ski vacation from the Salt Lake Bid Committee, Fact: No closing costs andfirst year annual fee is waived. had no comment on the “geld” document other than to say “it’s going to the ethics commission, whereit will get proper consider- Fact: Interest only payments available for the first ten years. ation . coolly and professionally.” He had no problems with the release of the document. “Mitt Romneygavehis logic forit... . He did the right thing. What he tried to do was enable the document to appear in public and with Fact: Interest may be tax deductible. Consult your tax advisor. full transparency.” HOW’S YOUR Fact: Home Equity Lines are available with rates as low as Wall Street Journal (WSJ) Prime for LTVs (loan-to-value) up to 80%.* Higher LTVsare also available at excellent rates. HEARING? 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