French Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera admitted this Friday that it is “never easy” to deal with searches, such as those carried out as part of investigations by the Public Prosecutor’s Office (PNF) into the organizers of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
“It’s never easy for teams. I remember that there are a number of procedures, very careful control, very regular,” commented Amelie Oudea-Kastera after the presentation of the route of the Olympic flame.
Sports consultancy Keneo was raided Wednesday at the behest of the PNF, with the company citing in a statement that it is “fully” cooperating with ongoing investigations after the PNF headquarters were raided. . Paris 2024 Olympic Organizing Committee (COJO) in Saint-Denis, Paris.
“Now everyone has to do their job. This will be done by the investigative services of the judicial police, but the COJO teams must be able to continue to work quietly for the Games,” the minister added.
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 Offenses Authority. 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 will be held from July 26 to August 11 next year.
Author: Portuguese
Source: CM Jornal
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