Nuzman Lawyers Seek Release

(ATR) Defense lawyers for former Brazil Olympic Committee President Carlos Nuzman say health must be considered during his jail sentence.

Lawyers submitted a habeas corpus petition for Nuzman today in an attempt to gain his freedom. A Rio de Janeiro judge extended Nuzman’s detention in prison "indefinitely," yesterday according to reports from G1.

Nuzman was arrested last week in charges stemming from paying bribes to secure votes for the Rio 2016 Olympic candidacy race at the 2009 IOC Session. Rio 2016 chief operating officer Leonardo Gryner was arrested alongside Nuzman. A judge issued the arrest warrant after investigators discovered Nuzman hid evidence of his income, including 16 gold bars stored in Geneva, Switzerland.

After his arrest, Nuzman wrote a letter resigning his position of both COB and Rio 2016 President. The IOC also provisionally suspended Nuzman of his honorary membership, as well as provisionally suspended the COB and contact with Rio 2016 pending governance reforms.

The COB will meet tomorrow to elect a new president, and Around the Rings learned the Rio 2016 board of directors will gather early next week.

Allegations of vote buying by Nuzman were "mere suspicions, vague conjectures and countless lessons," his lawyers said reported by G1. Nuzman’s representation also said that "special considerations," must be given for his health.

Rio prosecutors argued that the evidence given "is absolutely insufficient measure to prevent that it acts in order to interfere in the production of evidence." Prosecutors said that evidence of Nuzman using Rio 2016 funds be used for his legal defense last month justify his detention.

Emails obtained by investigators show Nuzman receiving board approval for the use of $1.73 million for his legal fees.

Evidence against Nuzman continues to mount, with G1 reporting that his secretary Maria Celeste testified confirming meetings with influential IOC member Lamine Diack in hotel suites. Nuzman and Gryner allegedly solicited bribes for Diack, an influential African IOC member. Funds were given by Brazilian businessman Arthur Soares to Diack’s son Papa Massata Diack.

Celeste reportedly testified that meetings between Nuzman and other IOC members in hotel suites were frequent. In previously reported testimony Celeste said that the $2 million payment to Papa Diack was for development of athletics in Africa, but was suspicious the money went to accounts in Moscow.

Written by Aaron Bauer

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