Inside the Olympics: A Behind-the-scenes Look at the Politics, the Scandals, and the Glory of the Games - Tapa dura

."..an intriguing account of many of the scandals that have despoiled the event..." ("The Times", 16 December 2004)."..Pound details the bribery, doping, cheating and exploitation involved in the world's most 'golden' business." ("Fitness First Magazine", Autumn 2004)."..an interesting account of the recent history of IOC..." ("British Runner", October 2004)."..a good modern history of the Olympics..." ("Business Eye", August 2004)."..a powerful fascinating read and Pound does not pull his punches..." ("Time Out", 25 August 2004)"Pound digs deep into many controversial events and issues surrounding the Olympics" ("Athletics Weekly", 18 August 2004)"A fascinating, no -holds-barred look at just how the Olympics and their legacy have foundered" ("New Addington Advertiser", 13 August 2004)."..the ultimate Olympic insider lifts the lid on everything from drug scandals to political wranglings." ("Northern Echo" (North), 13 August 2004)."..a fascinating, no-holds-barred look at just how the Olympics and their legacy have foundered" ("Croydon Advertiser", 13 August 2004)."..well written..." ("Irish Independent" (Dublin), 16 August 2004)."..his book is entertaining.." ("Aberdeen Press & Journal", 14 August 2004)."..brings an invigorating candour to a world in which officials have rivalled competitors for wrong doing." ("The Independent" (Review), 13 August 2004)."..brings an invigorating candour to a world in which officials have rivalled competitors for wrongdoing..." ("Independent", 13 August 2004)."..tells it like it is...a compelling read..." ("Nottingham Evening Post", 7 August 2004)."..a revealing and fascinating book." ("Leicester Mercury", 3/8/04)"His insider knowledge informs his compelling book..." ("The Economist", 30/7/04)

A candid look at how the Olympic rings got so tarnished-from a top IOC insider Bribery, illicit drugs, tainted judges, dirty politics ...the Olympics have come a long way from ancient Greece. Far from the vaunted symbol of athletic excellence, the Olympic games have become awash in scandal (from doping and judging scandals, questionable selection practices for future sites) that have given it a tawdry luster only cynics and news junkies would relish. Now, Dick Pound, a former Olympic medalist and twenty-five year member of the IOC gives an insider's account of the politics within the IOC as well as an unsensationalistic look at what went on behind the headlines. As controversial as the games themselves have become, Inside the Olympics is a fascinating, no-holds-barred look at just how the Olympics and their legacy have foundered. Richard W. Pound (Montreal, Canada) has been a member of the International Olympic Committee for twenty-five years. He was a member of the IOC Executive Board from 1983 to 1991 and from 1992 to 2000. In 1962, he won a gold, bronze, and two silver medals at the Commonwealth Games in Australia.