IOC President Samaranch to Bring Ted Turner into Membership

Olympic President Juan Antonio Samaranch is reportedly planning to bring Ted Turner, the head of CNN and creator of the Goodwill Games, into membership of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). This move is seen as a bid to tie down the Goodwill Games and ensure they do not become a maverick event. Turner's business acumen and passion for sports make him an attractive candidate for the IOC, which has a pressing need for captains of industry to protect the Olympic brand and its $225 million profits.

Key Takeaways:

• Samaranch aims to bring Ted Turner into IOC membership to prevent the Goodwill Games from becoming a maverick event.
• Turner's business brain and passion for sports make him a valuable asset for the IOC.
• The IOC needs captains of industry to protect the Olympic brand and its profits.
• The Goodwill Games have been a platform for promoting new sports like beach volleyball and triathlon.
• The IOC may consider adopting the Goodwill Games as part of its centennial celebration.
• Samaranch previously proposed Peter Ueberroth, a business leader, for IOC membership, but was turned down.

Statistics:

• The IOC has a $225 million profit from the Olympic Games, 1984.
• The Goodwill Games have reached their third edition.
• 2 new sports, beach volleyball and triathlon, are to be added to the Olympic programme.
• The US is due to have a second IOC member, with Ted Turner being a potential candidate.

Sources:

• "US to Get Second IOC Nominee" by John Rodda, St Petersburg, no date mentioned (exact date not provided in the original text).