The USOC announced today that it has decided to allow the lease on its headquarters in Irvine to expire at the end of June and the international relations division will relocate to Colorado Springs.

They have offered its entire Irvine-based staff a relocation offer to work at the new USOC headquarters in Colorado Springs, which they are due to move into later this month.

Severance packages will be made available for those that choose not to make the move.

But definitely leaving is Fasulo, who had joined the USOC in May 2006 from the Lausanne-based Association of Summer Olympic International Federations and played a leading role in Chicago's unsuccessful bid to host the 2016 Olympics.

He will stay in his role until the end of August as the international relations team transitions to Colorado Springs.

One of the key recommendations of the report released last month by former NFL Commissioner Paul Tagliabue, who led a committee looking into the future structure of the USOC, was to scrap the role of first vice-president international - essentially created for Bob Ctvrtlik, who has since left - and for Blackmun to assume a higher-profile role when dealing with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and other worldwide Olympic stakeholders.

Blackmun said: "The decision to close our Irvine office wasn’t one that was taken lightly, but our lease was up and it no longer made sense for us to have an office in Irvine.

"While there were very good reasons in the past to have staff based in Irvine, that is no longer the case.

"I am looking forward to bringing our international relations group to Colorado Springs where it can work closely with the rest of the team.

"I'm grateful to Robert for his tireless and dedicated service to the USOC and I’m thankful that he is willing to stay on during this transition."

Fasulo was responsible for the USOC's overall international relations strategy for the past four years, during which he helped forged new partnerships within the Olympic Movement, including bilateral agreements with the National Olympic Committee’s of Russia,  Britain, China, Saudi Arabia and Algeria.

But Fasulo was powerless to persuade IOC members vote for Chicago to host the 2016 Olympics after its bid was damaged by a series of high-profile rows over revenue-sharing and plans by the USOC to set-up its own Olympic television network.

Even the presence of US President Barack Obama at the final vote in Copenhagen last October could save not Chicago, who were humiliatingly voted out first of the four candidates in a contest eventually won by Rio de Janeiro.

Fasulo said: "My experience working with the USOC, our athletes and NGBs (National Governing Bodies) has not only been incredibly rewarding but also an honor for me.

"I am very proud of what we have accomplished in the past four years.

"Leaving the USOC has been a very difficult decision for me and my family, but I look forward to expanding my opportunities in the international Olympic arena."

The USOC will continue to maintain an office in New York, dedicated to marketing and sponsorship, as well as an office in Washington DC, whose focus is Federal Government relations.

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related stories
March 2010: USOC Board should be increased says new report