Tell the IOC where to go

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Want to give the International Olympic Committee a piece of your mind?

And maybe get a nice trip for your thoughts?

Now you have two extra months to join the 1,000 people who already have contributed opinions to the Virtual Olympic Congress.

The IOC has extended from Dec. 31 to Feb. 28 the deadline for the general public to express itself about five themes related to the direction of the Games and the Olympic movement: athletes; Olympic Games; the structure of the Olympic movement; Olympism; and youth and the digital revolution.

The plan is for the IOC to use the information as the basis for discussions at the 13th Olympic Congress in Copenhagen next year.

Twenty contributers will be rewarded with a trip to Copenhagen -– including airfare, lodging and meals for the real Olympic Congress Oct. 3-5, 2009.

(Olympic congresses are irregular events meant to discuss overriding issues about the Olympics. The last was 13 years ago in Paris, when the IOC seemed more interested in throwing a lavish 100th birthday party for itself than to accomplish the stated goal of revisions in the Olympic program.)

Interested in adding your point of view? Go to www.2009congress.olympic.org.

-- Philip Hersh