Samaranch balks at another term<\/p>\n
JAKARTA (JP): President of the International Olympic Committee
\nJuan Antonio Samaranch made it clear yesterday that he would not
\nrun for another four-year term.<\/p>\n
\"In principal, I'm not going to bid for IOC presidency in the
\nnext election. My tenure is enough,\" Samaranch said in a brief
\npress conference upon his arrival at Halim Perdanakusuma Airport
\nfrom Beijing.<\/p>\n
Samaranch, accompanied by the committee's Vice President Kim
\nUn-yong, arrived here for a two-day visit. His second trip to
\nIndonesia is a part of a routine tour of Asia, which includes
\nvisits to China, Cambodia and South Korea. Samaranch set foot in
\nIndonesia for the first time in 1983.<\/p>\n
Top officials from the National Sports Council, Mohammad \"Bob\"
\nHasan and Arie Sudewo, met Samaranch, who flew here on his
\nprivate aircraft, at the airport.<\/p>\n
\"My trips don't have anything to do with the upcoming
\nelection,\" Samaranch, who has traveled to China 19 times and
\nSouth Korea 21 times, said. \"I will have to change the rules if I
\nintend to extend my tenure.\"<\/p>\n
Samaranch, 75, was elected in 1976 to take Lord Killanin's
\nplace. The world's sports baron from Spain was given the next
\nfour terms, but IOC rules bar him from serving a sixth term.<\/p>\n
IOC members will vote for their new president during the 1996
\nOlympic Games in Atlanta, the United States. The world sports
\ngoverning body has had only seven presidents in its 100-year
\nhistory.<\/p>\n
\"Long-time presidents indicate how stable IOC is,\" said
\nSamaranch.<\/p>\n
Samaranch said he witnessed world sports progress in an
\nimpressive way during his 19-year tenure. \"My only worry is how
\nto keep unity among national Olympic committees and international
\nfederations,\" he added.<\/p>\n
Samaranch also expressed his concern about Indonesia's
\ndecision to withdraw its bid to host the 2002 Asian Games. \"It's
\nnot easy to host a big event, but you still have the chance in
\n2006,\" he said.<\/p>\n
The IOC president is scheduled to pay a courtesy call on
\nPresident Soeharto at the State Palace today. Samaranch will also
\nvisit the national badminton training center at Cipayung, East
\nJakarta, before leaving for Cambodia. (amd)<\/p>",
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