The matter is serious. It once again relaunches the debate on the integrity of the IOC and its members. Less than two months after the end of the 2018 Winter Games, an investigation in South Korea reveals suspicions of corruption in the awarding of the event to the city of PyeongChang.
According to the private audiovisual group’s website SBS (Seoul Broadcasting System), the South Korean justice investigation into the country's former president, Lee Myung-bak, uncovered a list of 27 IOC members who allegedly agreed to vote for PyeongChang in exchange for contracts marketing or partnership agreements with the electronics giant Samsung, a partner of the IOC within the framework of the TOP program.
Lee Myung-bak, president of South Korea between 2008 and 2013, was indicted on Monday April 9 for corruption, abuse of power, embezzlement and tax evasion. Arrested last March, he still refuses to be heard by the courts.
As a reminder, PyeongChang was elected by the IOC during the 123rd session on July 6, 2011 in Durban. The Korean city won in the first round of voting, with 1 votes, compared to 63 in Munich and 25 in Annecy.
According to SBS, the maneuver would have been organized by Lee Kun-hee, the current CEO of Samsung, and Papa Massata Diack, the son of Lamine Diack, the former president of the IAAF. Not really a surprise, both men having been involved in corruption cases. The South Korean was accused in 2008 of trying to buy political figures and magistrates, while setting up a subtle tax evasion system. Pushed to resign, he returned to his position at the head of Samsung two years later. Clarification: Lee Kun-hee was a member of the IOC until last year.
Papa Massata Diack, for his part, is suspended for life from the IAAF by the Court of Arbitration for Sport. Accused of corruption, fraud and money laundering, he was placed by Interpol on the list of most wanted people after an arrest warrant issued by France. The Senegalese is suspected of having played intermediary in several Olympic campaigns, including that which led to Rio de Janeiro's victory for the Summer Games in 2016.
SBS did not have access to the list of 27 members of the IOC, but the South Korean channel reveals that 12 of them are from Africa. According to the Korean justice report, some were to vote for PyeongChang in the first round, the others were tasked with giving their vote to Annecy, before deferring their vote to the next round on the Asian candidacy.
The IOC has so far remained silent in this new corruption affair.
