The International Olympic Committee lifts suspension on Brazilian National Olympic Committee

The International Olympic Committee (IOC), meeting in Pyeongchang, lifted "immediately" the suspension on the Brazilian National Olympic Committee (COB), which had been pronounced in October following the arrest of its president Carlos Nuzman on corruption charges.

Since this provisional suspension on October 6, 2017, the IOC has been "in close contact with the COB, which has been extremely cooperative and has initiated a series of measures to address the IOC's concerns," the Olympic body said this Sunday.

On October 31, 2017, the IOC had authorized the COB to exercise its rights "as a member during meetings of national Olympic committees".

Since then, the process of reviewing the COB's statutes and its internal governance "has been completed in close coordination with the IOC".

In fact, an independent auditor "officially confirmed that the COB accounts were correctly verified and approved by the general assembly of the COB," the IOC added.

The Olympic body also ensures that the COB "was not in any way involved in the accusations or charges held against Carlos Nuzman," in the framework of the investigation currently led by the Attorney General of the Federal Public Ministry of Brazil.

Nuzman, former president of the organizing committee for the 2016 Rio Olympics and former president of the COB, was arrested in October 2017, accused of "corruption, money laundering, and participation in a criminal organization." He is suspected of buying votes to secure the Brazilian Olympic edition. (D)