French investigators have conducted searches at the headquarters of Paris Olympic organizers as part of a corruption probe, according to the national financial prosecutor’s office. The searches are related to two preliminary investigations that had not been previously made public. One investigation, opened in 2017, focuses on suspected embezzlement of public funds and favoritism, while the other, initiated in 2022, targets suspected conflict of interest and favoritism in relation to contracts between the organizing committee and Solideo, the company responsible for Olympic facilities.
The investigations mark the third consecutive Summer Games organizer to face corruption allegations, following the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Games. The International Olympic Committee has been affected by vote-buying allegations in these cases. The Paris Olympics are scheduled to take place from July 26 to August 11, 2024. Meanwhile, the IOC executive board was set to convene a meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, during the same time period, intending to commend Paris organizers for their progress.