📖 Overview
New Lords of the Rings is an investigative exposé of the International Olympic Committee and its leadership during the late 20th century. The book examines allegations of corruption, bribery, and mismanagement within the organization that controls the Olympic Games.
Andrew Jennings documents his multi-year investigation into the IOC's inner workings and decision-making processes. The narrative follows leads through Switzerland, Europe, and beyond as Jennings pursues documentation and testimony about the committee's practices.
The book details the network of relationships between IOC officials, corporate sponsors, and cities bidding to host the Olympics. It includes interviews with sources inside the Olympic movement and examination of internal IOC documents.
The work stands as a critique of power and privilege in international sports governance, raising questions about transparency and reform in global sporting institutions. Through its investigation, the book challenges assumptions about the Olympic movement's stated ideals versus its operational reality.
👀 Reviews
There are not enough internet reviews to create a summary of this book. Instead, here is a summary of reviews of Andrew Jennings's overall work:
Readers consistently praise Jennings' detailed research and courage in exposing corruption when other journalists wouldn't. Many cite his prescience, with Amazon reviewers noting how his FIFA allegations were validated years later by criminal investigations.
What readers liked:
- Clear presentation of complex financial trails and corruption networks
- Raw interview transcripts and primary source documentation
- Direct, no-nonsense writing style
- Comprehensive timeline of events
What readers disliked:
- Dense sections of financial details
- Repetitive coverage of certain scandals
- Limited narrative flow
- Print quality issues in some editions
Ratings across platforms:
Amazon: 4.4/5 (FOUL!)
Goodreads: 4.1/5 (Lords of the Rings)
3.9/5 (FOUL!)
One reader noted: "Jennings shows how deep the corruption went while everyone else just printed FIFA press releases." Another wrote: "The level of detail can be overwhelming, but that's what makes his allegations bulletproof."
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🤔 Interesting facts
🔍 Author Andrew Jennings spent over 15 years investigating corruption in the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and FIFA, facing numerous legal threats and intimidation attempts.
🏅 The book exposed how IOC members received lavish gifts, including college tuition for their children, from cities bidding to host the Olympics.
📚 Published in 2004, it was one of the first major works to detail the systemic corruption within international sports organizations, years before the 2015 FIFA scandal broke.
🌍 The investigations revealed in the book led to the expulsion of several IOC members and contributed to significant reforms in the Olympic bidding process.
💰 Jennings uncovered evidence showing how IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch had been a prominent official in Franco's fascist regime in Spain, information that had been carefully hidden from the public.