His sports management career began in 1986 when he was appointed Commissioner for the Southeastern Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, in 1990 he was appointed Executive Director of the United States Olympic Committee and oversaw a dramatic restructuring of the organization that lead to increased support for athletes and introduction of drug testing; he instituted cash awards for medal winners, oversaw a major renovation of the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, added new corporate sponsorships and dealt with issues like the famous rivalry between Nancy Kerrigan and Tonya Harding. He was also instrumental in landing the 1996 Summer Games for Atlanta and the 2002 Winter Games for Salt Lake City.