From Deseret News archives:

Bullock still lending hand to the Games

Published: Friday, July 25, 2008 12:14 a.m. MDT
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Six months after the closing ceremonies, SLOC shut down its operations — while the Atlanta organizing committee was still wrapping up loose ends from its '96 Olympics.

Bullock and SLOC took all of its information on functions, budgets, plans and operations and transferred them electronically into a Web-based format for use by future organizing committees.

"And it was all free," said Bullock, noting. "Sydney charged $3 million for a bunch of boxes."

Impressed with SLOC's results, IOC President Jacques Rogge asked Bullock to do an audit of the International Olympic Committee. With a colleague, Bullock obliged, completing the five-month task in mid-2002 for free "as a gift back to the IOC."

The audit led to several IOC restructures. First, a new internal organization was created to help organizing committees, which used to be built from scratch, be up and running with IOC support, including an added chief operating officer.

Second, the audit revamped the IOC coordination commissions to focus on ensuring the organizing committee meets the needs of far-reaching constituent groups, such as athletes, media and sponsors.

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Athens' pre-Olympics woes served as "the genesis ... but they were already too far down the path" to benefit from the audit, Bullock said. However, it provided substantial assistance for a struggling Torino organizing committee.

Then came a call to join an eight-member task force restructuring the USOC. Bullock helped lead the charge to turn a bloated 125-person board dominated by special interests and mired in constant political wrangling into a sleek, nine-member board.

The task force also set the criteria for a new experienced yet independent president, with Peter Ueberroth the first to take the post. Other efforts included more USOC support to the sports' national governing bodies, with accompanying increased accountability.

Leading up to the 2006 Torino Games, Bullock made three trips to Italy to give insight and aid, including a week's stay after the organizing committee fired its CEO and COO. Even when Mitt and Ann Romney and Fraser and Jennifer Bullock were in Torino to enjoy the 2006 Olympics, the two former SLOC leaders stepped behind the scenes a few times to help out.

Asked to help with the '08 Beijing Olympics and the '12 London Games, Bullock begged off the first for a break and has put off a decision on the latter.

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Fraser Bullock says a few words to a crowd gathered at the Olympic cauldron during an anniversary ceremony in 2003. Bullock has been active in the Olympics since his role with the Salt Lake Games.

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