Raids were carried out at the committee's headquarters, known as Cojo, and at the offices of Solideo, according to the agency in charge of the 2024 Olympic construction sites.
The Paris 2024 Olympic symbol on a building. Photo: AFP
The reason for the raid was not immediately released, but Cojo said it was “fully cooperating with investigators to facilitate their investigation.” It was the first raid on the organizing committee’s headquarters.
According to another source close to the investigation, the searches were conducted by financial crime and anti-corruption investigators, as well as BRDE - Paris' financial police.
Two years ago, two reports by the French anti-corruption agency (AFA) highlighted "risks to integrity" and "conflicts of interest" that it warned could damage the "pure" image of the Games sought by organising committee chief Tony Estanguet.
AFA inspectors said the tendering processes were “inaccurate and inadequate” and stressed that “sometimes there were potential conflict of interest situations that were not properly monitored”.
The raid is the latest incident to hit French sport over the past year. In May, Brigitte Henriques surprised many by resigning as president of the French National Olympic Committee.
Several French federations – football, rugby, gymnastics and tennis – have also been embroiled in scandal. French Football Federation president Noel Le Graet, 80, resigned in February amid allegations of sexual and psychological harassment. That came just two months after France lost the 2022 World Cup final in Qatar.
Former French sports minister and rugby coach Bernard Laporte also stepped down as president of the French Rugby Federation in January after being convicted of corruption – months before France hosts the men's rugby World Cup.
The Paris Olympics will open on July 26 and run until August 11, 2024.
Huy Hoang (according to AFP, Reuters, CNA)
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