Delay in IOC Probe of London 2012 Ticketing Scandal

(ATR) The IOC tells Around the Rings it has still not received evidence from the Sunday Times following its ticketing scandal revelations, a delay that reduces the likelihood of any major sanctions being handed down before the Olympics.

One week after the allegations of improper ticket dealings by National Olympic Committees rocked the Olympic Movement, IOC communications director Mark Adams revealed to ATR that there had been a delay in receiving documents and video evidence from the newspaper following its two-month investigation.

"The [IOC's] inquiry has started since we have convened the Ethics Commission, met with the Sunday Times and of course had contact with some NOCs," Adams said.

"We've even taken some quick action, suspending Sochi [2014 Olympics] ticketing.

"But we can't take any [interim] action until we get evidence. I believe it is held up with their lawyers – hoping to get a transfer of materials today."

ATR understands that IOC Ethics Commission head Pâquerette Girard Zappelli is faced with the daunting task of analyzing some 20 hours of undercover video footage alone.

With just one month to the Olympics, the sheer amount of evidence to wade through coupled with the time needed to take testimony suggests there is only a slim chance of any major sanctions being handed down to NOC leaders caught up in the scandal.

Unless the IOC ethics panel works fast and can dish out punishments in the next two weeks, any such sanctions after that would surely overshadow the start of the Olympics, which opens July 27.

But interim sanctions are expected within the next week or 10 days.

The IOC Executive Board has the power tosuspend individuals while the ethics inquiry is underway. It can also bar individuals from receiving credentials for the London Olympics.

While The Sunday Times report claimed that 54 NOCs may be involved in the scandal, ATR was told the number of cases worthy of scrutiny could number less than 15 with only a handful of these serious enough to draw punishment.

The Sunday Times investigation found 27 Olympic officials and ticketing agents offering to sell London Olympic tickets on the black market for as much as 10 times their face value.

More than one million tickets are made available to the world's NOCs for resale, but only within their territory. Sunday Times reporters posing as ticket brokers with Middle East connections had snared the NOCs and their agents into saying they were willing to to break IOC and LOCOG rules for profit.

Among the NOCs singled out in the June 17 report were Bosnia, China, Greece, Israel, Lithuania, Malta and Serbia.

Hellenic Olympic Committee president Spyros Capralos was quoted from a secretly recorded video boasting of his inside connection to London 2012 chair Sebastian Coe, a connection he said would help Greece secure more high-demand tickets. LOCOG later issued a statement confirming there were no special ticket deals for Greece.

Last week, the Serbian and Bosnian NOCs denied any wrongdoing while the Hellenic Olympic Committee released a statement following allegations of improper conduct leveled at Capralos. The HOC also said its own ticketing sales for the London Olympics were "totally transparent and in accordance with the laws of the Greek State".

Three days after the scandal broke, the IOC suspended the Sochi 2014 ticket sales process pending the outcome of the ethics probe.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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