DENVER -- Three members of the U.S. Olympic Committee's ethics panel quit Friday, joining two other officials who quit to protest the handling of a probe into the business dealings of USOC chief Lloyd Ward, The Denver Post reported.

In a story posted on its Web site, the newspaper identified the three panel members as Steve Potts, Ed Petry and John Kuelbs. The paper said the three reportedly tried to convince the full ethics committee to open a new investigation.

Potts, Petry and Kuelbs wanted to know whether Ken Duberstein, the ethics panel leader, withheld information, The Post said.

USOC President Marty Mankamyer confirmed the resignations on Friday.

The latest resignations capped a tumultuous week in the USOC.

Pat Rodgers, the USOC's ethics compliance officer, quit Wednesday, two days after the resignation of executive committee member Brian Derwin, a former member of the USOC's ethics oversight committee.

Both said they quit because they believe an ethics board report was whitewashed so that Ward would be able to keep his job on Monday when the USOC executive board met to debate allegations he tried to steer USOC business to a company headed by his brother.

Rodgers and the ethics committee investigated allegations that Ward used USOC staff to try to get a Detroit-based company with ties to his brother and a childhood friend a potential multimillion-dollar contract for the 2003 Pan American Games.

The ethics board report released Monday said that Ward had "created the appearance of a conflict of interest," but it recommended no disciplinary action. The executive committee took no action against Ward.

Mankamyer has said she would investigation reports an ethics officer was pressured to stand aside in the case.