The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is said to be launching an Ethics Commission inquiry into what may be “inappropriate contact” involving an IOC member and the Olympic bid process, according to a report in Around The Rings. The report describes an IOC member on video agreeing to back one of the bid cities.
Spokesperson Giselle Davies said that IOC members, international sports federations and the five bid cities have been notified of the situation. The inquiry is the result of an investigation carried out by a European media outlet that obtained the video and is ready to release the details.
In 1998 the Salt Lake City vote buying scandal was uncovered prompting several changes to the way the IOC selects Olympic host cities, and the creation of the Ethics Commission. Strict rules were created to govern any contact IOC members have with bid committees and any unapproved bid city visits were banned.
In 1999, 10 IOC members were either expelled or resigned their positions after being accused of accepting bribes in conjunction with the scandal. There is no indication that the reported case involves vote-buying.
According to the IOC Candidature Procedure bid committees could face repercussions if they break the rules. In minor cases they may get off with a warning but according to article 17, in severe cases the ethics commission could ask the Executive Committee for the withdrawal of the candidature.
With a little more than two weeks to go before the opening ceremonies of the Athens Games, many IOC members, bid committee members and media outlets are arriving in the City for meetings and preparations. London, Madrid, Moscow, New York and Paris are in the running to host the 2012 Olympic Games.
