SYDNEY'S 2000 Olympics organising committee lost its third senior figure in a year yesterday with the resignation of chief executive Mal Hemmerling.
Hemmerling, who held the post since August 1995, had resigned "to pursue other career interests," the office of the New South Wales state government's Olympics Minister Michael Knight said in a statement.
The Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) has been plagued by the loss of senior personnel during the past two years.
Businessman John Iliffe resigned as SOCOG president in September, his predecessor Gary Pemberton stepped down last March, and a string of executives has also left.
The 15 member SOCOG board will meet tomorrow to appoint a replacement for Hemmerling who previously ran the Australian Formula One Grand Prix in Adelaide for 10 years.
Local media reported that former top Federal government bureaucrat Sandy Hollway, appointed last December as one of two effective deputies to Hemmerling, was likely to win the position.
The resignation was the second blow this week for the Sydney Games. A public share offer to raise money for the Olympic stadium has reportedly proved a flop.
A public offer for 34,400 gold memberships guaranteeing Olympic tickets and giving other special rights closes today and reports have said at least two thirds of the memberships remain unsold.
