The International Olympic Committee has suspended the head of the Rio Games after his arrest on bribery and fraud charges linked to a bid vote-buying scandal, which he denies. Because he is president of the Brazilian Olympic Committee that body has also been suspended, meaning any IOC payments are frozen and its right to vote on Olympic-related matters is revoked. Soares allegedly paid £1.2m into company accounts controlled by Diack’s son Papa Massata Diack in order to sway a band of African IOC voters. The IOC has been criticised for not acting sooner but said Nuzman was only temporarily suspended pending further investigation. “The IOC will accept a Brazilian Olympic Team in the Olympic Winter Games Pyeongchang 2018 and in all other competitions under the umbrella of the Brazilian Olympic Committee with all rights and obligations.”

Source: The Guardian October 06, 2017 18:00 UTC