Paris Olympic organizers raided by investigators in corruption case

French police searched the headquarters of the organizers for the 2024 Paris Olympics on Tuesday, the Associated Press reported. The raid was linked to two preliminary corruption investigations of the Games.

The first probe was opened in 2017, the same year Paris was selected as the 2024 host. It is related to procurement contracts signed by the Paris 2024 Olympics organizing committee. Investigators are looking into suspected embezzlement of public funds and favoritism from the committee, which is responsible for planning, organizing and financing the Games.

The second investigation opened in 2022 after an audit from the French Anti-corruption Agency. Like the first case, it concerns a potential conflict of interest and favoritism involving several contracts reached by the organizing committee and Solideo, the public body in charge of Olympic infrastructure.

Solideo oversees the construction and renovation of more than 60 projects for the multibillion-dollar Olympics, including one in Saint-Denis set to provide 2,000 housing units for athletes. Its offices were also searched as part of the investigation, as were the headquarters of several other companies linked to organization of the Games.

The Paris organizing committee confirmed in a statement that it is cooperating with the investigations. It defended its “stringent procedures” put in place “to ensure the transparency and propriety of the several hundred contracts it has awarded.” The committee also added that it is “one of the most audited organizations in France,” with regular monitoring of its governance and tough procedures aimed at “transparency and propriety” around the contracts.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed in a statement of its own that it has been in contact with Paris organizers, who assured them of their cooperation with authorities.

Saccage 2024, an anti-Olympics group that argues that the Games cause widespread ecological and social damage, said it was “very pleased” the raids took place.

“For us, an event of Olympic proportions cannot be held without corruption,” the group said in a statement. “It’s the size of the event that makes it necessary, whatever the country.”

The 2024 Olympic Games are set to take place from July 26 until Aug. 11 of next year. After that, the Paralympic Games will be held Aug. 28 to Sept. 6. Breakdancing is set to join the scheduled events, while baseball and softball have been cut.

More than 10,000 athletes and millions of spectators are expected to attend, and the budget for the facilities is an estimated $8.2 billion. More than 70% of the venues were existing facilities, while 25% are temporary structures.