Olympics Must Regain Integrity

Last year's allegations of bribery among members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) marred the image of a competition that should be about youthful idealism, heroic achievements and national pride. While one has become accustomed to hearing about unethical actions in professional sports, it was a shock that the directors of the world's most prominent amateur sporting competition had succumbed to the temptations of gifts from cities seeking to host the games.

The greatest fear was that the Olympics would lose the luster and credibility that draws millions of viewers worldwide every four years. If corporations refused to sponsor the games for fear of associating themselves with a dishonest competition, the games might have become unprofitable, endangering the viability of these spectacular athletic exhibitions.

Therefore, it came as a relief when Boston-based John Hancock Financial Services announced that it had renewed its contract with the Olympic Games. The surprise, however, was that John Hancock had insisted upon an ethics clause in the contract, allowing the company to withdraw its support at any point if it feels that the association is detrimental to its brand.

While it is certainly unfortunate that John Hancock felt the need to include such a clause in the contract, its actions are entirely understandable and appropriate. Clauses such as this are common in other contracts, and this will be an additional incentive for the IOC to conduct itself in a manner that reflects the honor and integrity of the games.

Hopefully John Hancock's decision will reassure other corporations that support for the Olympics is well-founded. John Hancock is one of the top sponsors of the games, spending approximately $50 million over four years to advertise at the Olympics. Its endorsement goes a long way toward restoring the credibility of the games after the shameful actions of the IOC.

It will be a welcome day this summer when the mention of the Olympics brings up a scene of athletes straining the limits of human endurance, not an image of scandalous bribery. To be sure, the Olympics have endured tragic and disastrous events in the past, such as the bombing in Atlanta and the massacre in Munich. However, if the spirit of the games--the spirit of sportsmanship, courage and respect--cannot be destroyed by bombs or terror it would be a shame if it were corrupted by the very committee that purports to represent the Olympics.