IOC reprimands ice hockey chief Fasel

Vancouver: One of the world`s most powerful winter sports chiefs, Rene Fasel, was reprimanded by the International Olympic Committee on Wednesday for what they said was a conflict of interest regarding broadcasting rights.

Fasel, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) chief and the IOC member in charge of the Vancouver 2010 Games preparations, had admitted to helping a long-time friend in negotiations with the company controlling the IIHF`s TV and marketing rights, the IOC said. "The Executive Board this evening found that by "helping a person with whom he was friends to offer his services to the company responsible for exploiting the television and the marketing rights of the IF of which he is President, and thereby obtaining substantial financial advantages for him, Mr René Fasel was in breach of the Rules Concerning Conflicts of Interests...and his conduct was likely to tarnish the reputation of the Olympic Movement," the IOC said in a statement. It said Fasel, also a member of the powerful IOC Executive Board, had helped his friend`s company clinch a deal with the company controlling the rights and was `personally` involved in various marketing contract negotations.Bureau Report