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Brazil prosecutors say bribe won Rio right to host 2016 Olympics
Authorities allege that a group of Brazilian conspirators, led by former Rio state Governor Sergio Cabral, paid $2 million in return for the vote of Lamine Diack, the former IAAF president, for hosting rights of 2016 Rio Olympics
Brazilian prosecutors investigating an alleged vote-buying scheme to win Rio de Janeiro the right to host the 2016 Olympics said on Tuesday that the city secured the winning bid despite having the worst conditions to actually host the event.
Prosecutor Fabiana Schneider made that allegation during a press conference detailing Brazil’s joint “Unfair Play” investigation with their French counterparts.
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Authorities allege that a group of Brazilian conspirators, led by former Rio state Governor Sergio Cabral, paid $2 million in return for the vote of Lamine Diack, the former president of the International Association of Athletics Federations and once an influential member of the International Olympic Committee.
Police raid home of Brazil Olympics chief
Police raided the home of Brazil’s Olympics chief Carlos Arthur Nuzman on Tuesday, accusing him of brokering a deal to bribe International Olympic Committee members to bring the 2016 Games to Rio de Janeiro with the backing of the former state governor.
A federal judge ordered the seizure of Nuzman’s passport as he was brought in for questioning in Rio about an alleged $2 million payment in return for the vote of Lamine Diack, former president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF).
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Police were also serving two arrest warrants and conducting search and seizure operations as part of the investigation started nine months ago in cooperation with French authorities, police said in a statement.
In Paris, French prosecutors said the probe had revealed a corruption scheme centered on Papa Massata Diack, the son of Lamine Diack, who was once an influential member of the IOC.
