October 30 - Recruitment firm Spencer Stuart have been given the task of finding a new chief executive for the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) as they try to recover from the fall-out following the controversial failure of Chicago to be chosen to host the 2016 Games.

 

Stephanie Streeter, the acting chief executive, announced earlier this month that she will step down after Chicago polled only 18 votes as it was eliminated in the first round of voting for the 2016 Olympics despite the presence at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Copenhagen of United States President Barack Obama.

 

The USOC have also named a nine-person selection committee, which will be headed by chairman Larry Probst and Board members Bob Bowlsby and Mike Plant, to help pick a new chief executive.

 

The selection committee includes representatives from five USOC constituent groups: Phil Godfrey of the Multi-Sport Organisations; Micki King of the US Olympians Association; Trygve Myhren from Paralympics; Dave Ogrean from the National Governing Bodies Council and Nina Kemppel and Matt Van Houten from the Athletes Advisory Council.
 

Whoever is chosen to replace Streeter, will have a major rebuilding project, trying to bring international credibility and domestic harmony to a federation that has been in turmoil since Streeter controversially took over from Jim Scherr in March.

 

Streeter said that she was prepared to stay on in her role until after the Winter Olympics in Vancouver next February but the USOC want to have a new chief executive in place by the end of this year.

 

Patrick Sandusky, the new USOC spokesman, said: "The goal is still to get someone in place by the end of the year.

 

"The other goal is to also ensure that the search is done thoroughly and in a detailed way."

 

 

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