Bud World Olympic Riot Exposed

The Olympic Games are coming to Athens, Greece this summer, and Anheuser-Busch will once again be the “official beer sponsor,” as it has been since 1984. In fact, the world’s largest beer maker recently announced an extension of its sponsorship through the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Meanwhile, Olympics broadcaster NBC is hyping this summer’s games as “hip to youth” in a new promotional campaign targeted at young audiences ages 12 - 34.¹ Yet beyond the glory of the games is a darker side to the beer-sports mix, one that was revealed not long ago at the last Olympics. Following is an excerpt from a first-person account of “Media Advocacy and Alcohol Policy at the Olympics.”

By George J. Van Komen, MD
Chairman, Alcohol Policy Coalition

	Anheuser-Busch sponsored the Winter 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The first ever Olympic-related riot occurred the night before the closing ceremonies just outside of Bud World in Salt Lake City in the winter of 2002. Following are details of the Olympic riot and its discreetly masterminded cover-up.

In 1996 the [Utah] Alcohol Policy Coalition began a vigorous public campaign to block the sponsorship of the Salt Lake Winter Olympic Games—a youth-oriented sporting activity—by an alcoholic beverage company. Anheuser-Busch announced its $50 million sponsorship as the “Official Malt Beverage Sponsor of the Olympics” during a quiet board meeting in San Francisco.

Coalition members publicly requested a conference with executives of both Anheuser-Busch and the Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee. The coalition met with the committee and outlined a comprehensive six-step plan to keep the 2002 Salt Lake Winter Olympics alcohol safe. Right after our meeting with the Olympic committee, we held a press conference at the headquarters of the Utah Medical Association, where coverage followed.

The following morning, I had a call from the Olympic Committee. They were not at all happy. I was told that I could no longer publicly talk about the Anheuser-Busch Olympic beer sponsorship.

Over the years we continued to make waves through editorials, press conferences and numerous newspaper articles. We started successful national and international campaigns to gather support to limit the value of the Anheuser-Busch Salt Lake Olympics sponsorship.

In January 2000, a letter from Anheuser-Busch stated, “Anheuser-Busch has been a proud sponsor of the Olympics for 20 years, and on each previous occasion beer drinkers and non-drinkers had a safe and enjoyable experience. We predict the same outcome in 2002.”

Anheuser-Busch opened their version of Olympic fun at the 2002 Winter Olympics—Bud World—a mix of family activities intermingled with adults guzzling beer. Over 33,000 attended each day, and Bud World was by far the most popular commercial attraction during the games.

Inside Bud World kids watched magic, aerial and animal shows, iceskated and played table hockey, while the adults drank beer. During the two-week event, the Salt Lake City police and local government leaders turned a blind eye, both to Utah’s open container laws and to underage drinking. The streets of Salt Lake City, according to numerous media reports, literally became drenched with alcohol.

After the closing ceremonies, nearly 12-16,000 drunken Olympic revelers jammed the entrances of an overflowing Bud World. As overcrowding became problematic, officials at Bud World decided to close early. This infuriated the crowd.

The drunken crowd, both inside and outside Bud World, became unruly. Many started to sexually harass and threaten females, shatter windows and smash police car windows. The drunken crowd required the combined efforts of 200 to 300 federal and local police officers in full riot gear. The result was tens of thousands of dollars in property damage, police and rioter injuries, as well as 21 arrests. After two hours of tense battling, the streets of Salt Lake City were secure.

Then the massive cover-up started. Anheuser-Busch, local leaders and city clean-up crews worked double overtime throughout the night to clear the streets of beer bottles and debris. Then-Utah Governor Michael O. Leavitt said it was a local city problem and he did not want to be involved. Anheuser-Busch, during media reports, played the victim saying, “This event did not originate in Bud World.” Salt Lake City Police Chief Rick Dinse said, “In hindsight, I would say that there’s no question alcohol had an impact on the actions of the crowd.” Anheuser-Busch officials remained silent.

Olympic officials, who previously embraced Anheuser-Busch and its $50 million sponsorship, distanced themselves from the riot. Mitt Romney, then-President of the Salt Lake Olympic Organizing Committee and now Governor of Massachusetts said, “There were 200 to 300 people who had a few too many and needed to be sent home.”

This riot could very well have become the most embarrassing alcohol-related event in Olympic history—yet through careful control of the media and public perception, the cover-up was successful. The riot was downplayed, and now is almost forgotten. Yet, there is an opportunity. The Olympics is a “smoke-free” event. No tobacco sponsorships are allowed. Why not make the Olympics free of alcohol beverage sponsorships too?

I wrote a letter to Anheuser-Busch after the riot, and the response said, “any further dialogue on an event that concluded well over a month ago is not a productive use of either of our time.” Further dialogue is needed and is certainly well worth our time. That dialogue should begin today!

¹NBC hypes Olympics as hip to youth,” Advertising Age, May 17, 2004.

Anheuser-Busch pulled its Bud Light ad featuring horse flatulence, which first aired during the 2004 Super Bowl, citing the aftermath of the game's halftime incident with Janet Jackson. The brewer announced that it will reconsider using ads of questionable taste for Budweiser and Bud Light in the future.