Paris-2024: Olympic Committee is target of operation – 06/20/2023 – Sport

Several search operations were taking place this Tuesday (20) at sites linked to the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, including the headquarters of the organizing committee (Cojo) and the Olympic Works Company (Solideo), according to the National Finance Prosecutor’s Office (PNF). ).

The Public Prosecutor’s Office stated that the operations take place within the scope of two preliminary investigations, opened in 2017 and in 2022, on suspected illegal actions of interests and favoritism.

Both are related to contracts awarded by institutions linked to the organization of the Games.

Cojo indicated that an operation was underway at its headquarters in Saint-Denis, near the French capital, without revealing the reason.

With 14 months to go until the Olympic Games, the organizing committee said it “fully collaborates with investigators to facilitate investigations”.

According to a source close to the investigation, the search operations are coordinated by the Central Agency for the Fight against Corruption and Financial and Tax Offenses and by the Financial Brigade of the Judicial Police of Paris.

Cojo is constituted in the form of an association. The Court of Auditors monitors its activities and should publish a report soon.

In April 2021, two reports by the French Anti-Corruption Agency on the organization of the Games pointed out “risks of lack of probity and conflicts of interest”, damaging the image of the “exemplary” Olympic Games desired by the president of the organizing committee, Tony Estanguet.

The two initial reports, submitted in early 2021, focus on the COJO and Solideo, the public company responsible for building various venues for the Olympic Games.

AFA inspectors found the overall purchasing process to be “inaccurate and incomplete”. They also pointed out that sometimes there are “situations of potential uncontrolled conflicts of interest”.