French authorities returned this Wednesday for the second day in a row to carry out inspections as part of ongoing investigations into contracts awarded for the implementation of Paris2024, the French News Agency (AFP) reported.
Sports advisory firm Keneo was raided this Wednesday by France’s National Public Prosecutor’s Office (PNF). raids at the headquarters of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games Organizing Committee (COJO) in Saint-Denis, Paris.
This investigation concerns a number of contracts awarded by COJO and GIP 2024, the bid committee that preceded COJO, and the investigation was opened in 2017 by the PNF in charge of the Central Anti-Corruption and Crime Administration. Finance and taxes (Oclciff).
The offenses covered are usurpation of interests, embezzlement of public funds, favoritism and concealment of favoritism.
On Tuesday, COJO assured that it was “cooperating fully with authorities to facilitate investigations” as the Paris 2024 Games are 14 months away and at a time when no ongoing lawsuit was known.
In April 2021, two reports from the French anti-corruption agency on the organization of the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris already pointed to the risk of “violating” the values of administrative integrity and “conflict of interest”.
An image contrary to the exemplary Games championed by Tony Estangue, former canoeist and president of the Organizing Committee.
The reports focus on COJO, as well as Solideoe, the company responsible for running the event, among others, with inspectors from the anti-corruption agency saying there are “inaccurate and incomplete” procurements and situations of potential conflict of interest.
The 2024 Olympic Games in Paris are scheduled for the period from July 26 to August 11 next year.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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