ABC reports Rio 2016 is considering filing a formal ethics complaint with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) claiming that Madrid 2016 sent a spy to Rio during the IOC’s inspection of Rio’s bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic Games.
Madrid admits the man works for its Olympic public relations firm, but denies he was sent as a spy.
According to Inside The Games, Simon Walsh, a British-based freelance journalist and consultant, was stripped of his media accreditation Saturday and refused entry to the final IOC press conference because Rio 2016 officials said he had lied about who he was working for.
Mike Lee, who is working as a consultant to Rio on strategy and media, said Walsh had claimed he was the London correspondent of the Spanish news agency EFE working at its bureau in Madrid.
But Lee said there were suspicions raised when the Rio-based correspondent of EFE said he was not affiliated with them and they did not know him.
Walsh allegedly had been unable to show a press card or business card and refused to allow Lee to speak to EFE to confirm his credentials.
Inside The Games reports Rio 2016 officials are angry that Walsh was invited to meet Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. The invitation was withdrawn when government officials raised concerns.
