No one disputes the good work Right to Play does with children in the world's poorest countries, but the International Olympic Committee still has the obligation to protect its sponsors during the Games, Canadian IOC member Dick Pound said Thursday.
"When you raise a lot of money from people who support your exercise, you can't have them ambushed by somebody else," Pound said in an interview. "Right to Play knows that."
The IOC confirmed Thursday it has ended its relationship with Right to Play. That will prevent the international humanitarian organization from setting up shop at Olympic venues during the 2010 Vancouver Games, plus the upcoming Olympics in London and Sochi, Russia.
Right to Play's ability to have a presence at the athletes village in Vancouver was put in doubt last fall because some of the group's sponsors conflicted with those of the Vancouver Olympic Games Organizing Committee.
International Olympic Committee spokesperson Emmanuelle Moreau said in an e-mail the decision "had nothing to do with sponsorship."
Moreau said the IOC supports many humanitarian and environmental programs, but has decided to end its relationships with a number of partners, including Right to Play.
"The IOC is committed to using sport to help disadvantaged people, especially young people, and contribute to the development of healthy communities,"' Moreau said. "As part of these efforts the IOC works with a wide range of partners including U.N. and government agencies, NGOs and sports bodies around the world.
"The IOC has extensive peace promotion, humanitarian assistance and environmental programs and is also active in refugee camps. The IOC has decided to focus its resources on these programs. As a result, the IOC has reviewed its relationships with a number of partners, including Right to Play, and decided not to renew the memorandum of understanding between the IOC and Right to Play which expired last year."
Johann Koss, president and chief executive officer for Right to Play, said Wednesday he learned of the IOC's plan in a Dec. 23 letter.
Right to Play declined comment Thursday.
Despite the IOC's official denial, Pound said sponsorship was at the root of the issue.
He praised Koss and the work of Right to Play.
"He understands he's got to raise money from sponsors and the IOC has to raise money from sponsors," said Pound. "For two weeks every two years there is kind of a clash.
"When it's the Olympic Games, and during the Olympic Games, the IOC position has to trump it."
Benoit Seguin, a professor of sports marketing at the University of Ottawa, said the conflict is a cold reality of sponsorships.
"We are talking big dollars," he said. "The IOC, in the past few years, has put a lot of effort to basically gain control of their brand and also to protect the companies that are investing in that brand.
"The more valuable the Olympic brand, the more money corporations will be willing to put in."
Athletes agree keeping Right to Play out of the Olympic village should not impact the group's ability to recruit athletes and continue its projects.
"I think this opens up a whole lot of opportunities for them to start expanding their exposure outside the village and maybe looking at stands where the public is going to get educated by Right To Play," said speedskater Kristina Groves, an Olympic silver medallist who travelled to Rwanda with Right to Play in 2007.
Hockey player Hayley Wickenheiser became involved in the Toronto-based organization after being exposed to it in the athletes village of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, where she represented Canada in softball.
"I think Right To Play has enough exposure that it can stand on its own merit and will still be fully supported by the athletes of the world during the Games any ways," Wickenheiser said in an e-mail from Sweden.
Moreau said the IOC continues to support Right to Play's activities.
"Right to Play will remain a recognized organization within the Olympic movement and thus enjoy the full respect of the IOC for its activities," she said.
Critics suggest the IOC is being heavy-handed and its actions show money has corrupted the Olympic ideal.
Pound defended the IOC stance.
"If the Olympics didn't have sponsors, the taxpayers of B.C. and Canada would support the entire cost of the Games," he said. "That's simply not feasible.
"I think people are wading into this with violins and harps going off without really thinking through how it is that both organizations are able to exist."
Seguin agreed the IOC comes off looking like the bad guy.
"It's not very good publicity," he said. "It does have an impact. How big an impact, I don't know."
