IOC doing nothing about corruption, claims senior official

London: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has been accused of “doing nothing” about its growing corruption crisis, by senior official Dick Pound.

Several IOC officials have been implicated in corruption in 2017.

In the latest case, police last week raided the home of Carlos

Nuzman, head of the Brazilian Olympic Committee, as they investigate “strong evidence” of vote-buying to secure Rio’s 2016 bid.

“We’ve taken a severe hit in terms of credibility,” said Pound.

“Every time another IOC member is implicated in something potentially nefarious we lose more credibility.”

On Monday, IOC president Thomas Bach said the organisation would act on corruption allegations “once evidence is there”. But Canadian Pound, speaking at an IOC executive board meeting in Lima, Peru, said: “What are we doing taking all these hits and doing nothing about it? We’ve got to recognise that we haven’t done enough.

“If your conduct has put the IOC into disrepute, you should be liable to at least vigorous investigation and potentially sanctioned for it. That has not happened.”

Lawyers for the IOC’s ethics commission have contacted Brazilian authorities hoping to obtain further details about Nuzman’s case, after he was questioned and had his passport seized.

The 72-year-old is accused of acting as an intermediary in a cash-for-votes scheme to ensure the support of influential IOC member Lamine Diack, who was also serving as president of the International Association of Athletic Federations (IAAF) at the time. That case has also implicated Frankie Fredericks, the Namibian four-time Olympic silver medallist and IAAF member who has been suspended from athletics while he is investigated.