Brazilian police make arrests in probe of sport confederations

SAO PAULO, (Reuters) - Brazilian police arrested suspects yesterday accused of defrauding sports confederations of public money, just three days after the Olympic Games ended in Rio de Janeiro.

Federal police said a criminal organisation had targeted the Brazilian Shooting Confederation and the Brazilian Taekwondo Confederation.

Investigators accused the suspects, who they did not name, of using a scheme to steal money granted to the confederations by the Sports Ministry.

“The investigations, which began about a year ago, indicate that the gang have been using false documents to cheat on tenders by purchasing and acquiring (goods and service) at well above market rates,” police said in a statement. Police arrested suspects or carried out searches in four states and a judge ordered the president of the taekwondo confederation be removed from his position. Neither the shooting nor taekwondo confederations could be reached for comment.

Police were not immediately available to give further details. Brazil won a silver medal in the 10m air pistol shooting and a bronze in over-80kg men’s taekwondo during the Olympics, which were held in Rio de Janeiro between Aug. 5 and 21.

The host nation finished 13th in the medals table - its biggest Games haul in the first Olympic held in South America.