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Brazilian Olympic Committee president Carlos Nuzman arrested in Rio vote-buying scheme investigation

By AP Sport

Thursday 5 October 2017 13:26, UK

Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) president Carlos Arthur Nuzman
Image: Brazilian Olympic Committee (COB) president Carlos Nuzman

The president of the Brazilian Olympic Committee has been arrested amid an investigation into a vote-buying scheme to bring the Games to Rio de Janeiro last year.

Carlos Nuzman, who is also an honorary International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, was held for questioning last month by Brazilian and French authorities.

They believe he is a central figure in channelling £1.5m to Lamine Diack, a former IOC member from Senegal who helped secure votes for Rio when it was picked by the IOC in 2009.

Leonardo Gryner, director-general of operations for the organising committee, was also arrested on Thursday.

Leonardo Gryner, Chief Executive Officer of the Rio 2016 Organising Committee
Image: Leonardo Gryner, director-general of operations for Rio 2016 Organising Committee, has also been arrested

Brazilian authorities have said the behind-the-scenes dealings to win the vote amounted to a "criminal organisation."

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Nuzman, 75, was one of the key figures in bringing the games to Rio.

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