World

Police searching 2024 Paris Olympics HQ in corruption probe

Police are searching the headquarters of the 2024 Paris Olympics organisers as part of a probe into suspected corruption.

The Paris organising committee said in a statement that a search is under way at its offices in the Saint-Denis suburb of the French capital, and that “Paris 2024 is co-operating with the investigators to facilitate their investigations.”

It would not comment further.

An official with the financial prosecutor’s office said the searches are linked to two investigations that had not previously been made public and are based on information provided by an anti-corruption agency.

One of the probes was opened in 2017 into suspected embezzlement of public funds and favouritism and concerns about an unspecified contract reached by Paris organisers, the prosecutor’s office said.

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The other was opened in 2022 following an audit by the French Anti-corruption Agency.

The prosecutor’s office said that case targets suspected conflict of interest and favouritism involving several contracts reached by the organising committee and Solideo, the company in charge of Olympic facilities.

The Olympics will be held from 26 July to 11 August 2024 with the Paralympic Games taking place from 28 August to 6 September 2024.