IOC to look into BBC’s Havelange bribery allegations
The allegations of FIFA Honorary President and IOC Member João Havelange accepting bribes from the ISL raised by the BBC, are to be investigated by the International Olympic Committee.
According to BBC’s Panorama documentaries, the 95-year old Brazilian accepted bribes from FIFA’s former marketing partner ISL.
Unlike FIFA, who has chosen not to start an inquiry into the BBC allegations, the IOC’s Ethics Committee has begun an investigation into BBC’s claims.
"The IOC takes all allegations of corruption very seriously and we would always ask for any evidence of wrongdoing involving any IOC members to be passed to our ethics commission," the IOC says according to the Guardian.
"The ethics commission launched its inquiry before Christmas last year, after the first BBC Panorama programme went on air. The commission has received supporting documents from the BBC and is now in the process of verifying the authenticity of the material that has been gathered so far.
"It is therefore pursuing its work and, although we cannot speak on its behalf as it is conducting its work independently, as a general principle they would always look at any available evidence of wrongdoing by IOC members while the process is ongoing."
FIFA’s Ethics Committee is currently running investigations into allegations of corruption aimed at the two FIFA Executive Committee Members Jack Warner and Muhamed bin Hammam.
SOURCE: THE GUARDIAN