Brazil and France allege Rio Olympics vote-buying scheme

Police raid home; 11 warrants issued in widespread scandal.

RIO DE JANEIRO — Brazilian and French authorities said Tuesday they had uncovered an international corruption scheme aimed at buying votes in awarding the 2016 Olympics — the latest allegation to sully the legacy of the Rio Games, the first Olympics held in South America.

The disclosures came as police in Rio de Janeiro raided the home of Brazilian Olympic Committee President Carlos Nuzman. They emerged with suitcases, documents and a computer. Police said detention warrants had been issued for Nuzman and an associate, businessman Arthur Cesar de Menezes Soares Filho, who is believe to be in Miami.

Nuzman left his house accompanied by his lawyer and later appeared at a police station for questioning. He left a few hours later without commenting. Lawyer Sergio Mazzillo said his client would cooperate but “did not commit any irregularity.”

In total, 11 detention warrants were issued for people in both Brazil and France in what police dubbed “Operation Unfair Play.”

At a news conference, investigators said Nuzman, an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee, was a central player in buying votes for Rio’s Olympic bid in 2009.

Nuzman brought together Soares Filho and Lamine Diack, the former head of track and field’s governing body who at the time was an IOC voting member, according to authorities. Soares Filho’s company, Matlock Capital Group, allegedly paid Diack $2 million into an account of Diack’s son, Papa Massata Diack.

Several construction and concession companies stood to gain by bringing the games to Rio, prosecutor Fabiana Schneider said. She said the “criminal organization” of Sergio Cabral, the former governor of Rio de Janeiro who has been jailed on a different corruption conviction, drove the scheme.

“The Olympic Games were used as a big trampoline for acts of corruption,” Schneider said.

The IOC said it had “learned about these circumstances from the media and is making every effort to get the full information.”

The 75-year-old Nuzman was an IOC member for 12 years and one of the most prominent figures in bringing the games to Rio. He is part of the 2020 Tokyo Games coordination commission, which advises organizers in running the event.

Soon after the Rio Games, IOC President Thomas Bach awarded Nuzman the “Olympic Order,” given to those who have made extraordinary contributions to the Olympics.

Chicago, Madrid, Tokyo and Rio were candidates for the 2016 Olympics. The vote was held in 2009 in Copenhagen, Denmark, with Rio defeating Madrid 66-32. Chicago, seen as having the best bid and most ready-to-go facilities, was eliminated in the first round of voting.

Authorities said they could only confirm the purchase of Diack’s vote. Diack is from Senegal.