Women’s Roles To Change

The International Olympic Committee has moved to ensure that women would fill at least 10 percent of decision-making roles in the Olympic movement by the turn of the century.

In a step to redress the shortage of women in Olympic leadership positions, the IOC executive board said the figure should reach at least 20 percent within 10 years.

“Ten percent might seem ridiculous to some countries, but it will also cause difficulties in other countries,” IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch said. “But we will fight for the rights to which women are entitled.”

The IOC ordered the world’s 197 national Olympic committees to meet the 10 percent target by Dec. 31, 2000, and the 20 percent level by Dec. 31, 2005.

The IOC “strongly invited” international and national federations and other sports organizations to meet the same targets.

While the IOC has the power to enforce the rule with the national Olympic committees, it can only make recommendations to the federations.

The IOC said the quota should apply especially to executive and legislative bodies.

The move could face resistance in some countries, particularly in Islamic nations where opportunities for women are restricted.

“In some countries, 10 percent will mean a revolution,” IOC director general Francois Carrard said. “We must be aware of the cultural impact.”

The proposal will be submitted to the full IOC session for approval next July before the Centennial Games in Atlanta.

In Atlanta, Olympic ticket buyers are finding out this week what they’ll be seeing in 1996, and for many the long-awaited news is disappointing.

Because of the high demand, Atlanta organizers developed a lottery for the initial deluge of ticket orders and urged people to list second and third choices. Relatively few people got seats to the events they most wanted to see.

Miles Zaremski of Chicago ordered more than $1,000 worth of tickets to about a dozen events. All he got, according to the letter he received Monday confirming his order, were tickets to two baseball games.

“We did poorly, very poorly,” he said. “We were very disgusted.”

Zaremski said he won’t go to Atlanta.