the world should come together in the same arena to strive for excellence. For much of its history, the Olympics were also the place where the talented people could compete simply to be the best -- not for money or other gains.

But the popularity of the Games themselves and the increasing commercialisation of sports as a result of television have changed the nature of the Olympic spirit. Indeed, since 1984 when the Los Angeles Games made masses of money -- in stark contrast to the billion-dollar losses incurred in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal -- the Games have been seen by cities as a way to build their economies and put themselves on the map.

Athletes in high profile sports have, perhaps rightly, taken advantage of the Games' popularity to earn more money than their predecessors could have dreamed of.

So it is sad, but not altogether surprising, that International Olympic Committee delegates have decided to get on the gravy train as well. It seems that bribes may not have only been paid by the Salt Lake City organisers, but for other Games, and the Commonwealth Games may have been affected as well. It should also be remembered that bribes come in many forms and Olympics delegates have benefited from gifts from bidders for years. Bidding cities have learned that the group which brings the best presents often wins.

Bermuda does not have a vote in the IOC and has therefore avoided the scandal.

But it affects the Olympic movement here just as much as it does elsewhere, because the ideal the Bermuda Olympic Association promotes has now been tarnished, perhaps beyond repair.

Not only do athletes work and sacrifice simply for the honour of taking part in the Games, but their friends, families and countrymen work and sacrifice to help them get there -- even when, more often than not, their chances of winning a medal are scant.

If the Olympics stand for something other than crass commercialism, its organisers must clean up their acts and return the Games to its ideals. if that requires a clean sweep of its current officials, then so be it.

One standard The passage of legislation removing the right of Coroner's juries to name a defendant in cases of wrongful death is a step forward for the justice system.

Prosecutors have apparently used this device in the past when they have feared they will be unable to convince a magistrate that they have a prima facie case which can be heard by a Supreme Court jury.

It is only right that those accused of murder -- and facing the possibility of the death penalty -- should be tried under the same standards of proof as those charged with lesser crimes. This legislation should save people the trauma of a Supreme Court trial when there is no case to answer.

Legislative Affairs Minister Lois Browne Evans deserves credit for bringing this amendment to the House of Assembly so quickly; it is to be hoped that other improvements to the criminal justice system, including better facilities and proper transcripts of Supreme Court cases, will come soon as well.