As the Olympic flame was lit before beginning its journey to Rio last year the IOC president, Thomas Bach, intoned: “The Olympic flame means hope to us all.” Mr Bach will likely be feeling hopeful now, with the news that the Rio home of Brazil’s Olympic committee chief has been raided, along with various other addresses, as part of a major investigation into international corruption and vote buying for the 2016 Olympic Games.
Bach will be hopeful that this is just a cosmic misunderstanding, hopeful that the £155,000 cash the police reportedly relieved Carlos Nuzman of was just one of those classic things everyone keeps in their cupboard, hopeful that the usual horse will ride to the rescue. (Which is to say, hopeful that Fifa – the IOC’s Swiss neighbours, and fellow candidates for an international ASBO – will do something even worse to distract attention.)
Related: Rio Games vote-winner questioned by police over ‘rigged bidding process’
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