The Paris financial crimes prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation to investigate allegations of overpayment for Olympic Games Organizing Committee President Tony Estanguet.
An official speaking to AFP on the issue confirmed that an investigation had been opened into the payment terms for Estanguet.
Meanwhile, in the statement made by the Paris Olympic Games Organizing Committee, it was stated that the opening of an investigation against Estanguet was “met with great surprise”.
Salary of 270 thousand euros per year
According to AFP’s news, based on the official notification, Estanguet is paid a salary of 270 thousand euros a year without deducting taxes. This income is expected to increase by another 20 percent with possible bonuses and bonuses.
“Le Canard Enchaîné” newspaper, famous for revealing scandalous news, claimed at the end of last year that Estanguet invoiced his work to the organizing committee through the company he founded, instead of receiving a salary directly every month.
According to the newspaper, this regulation aims to exempt the organizing committee from certain salary limits applied to charities with the same status.
Estanguet, 45, who won three gold medals at the Olympic Games, has so far managed to avoid the legal problems that have plagued other members of the Paris organizing committee.
Corruption charges related to tenders for the Paris Olympic Games are frequently the subject of prosecution investigations
Police raided the committee headquarters in June
With the decision of the Paris prosecutor against financial crimes, the police searched the Olympic Committee building in Paris Saint Denis in June last year, within the scope of two preliminary investigations opened on suspicion of “illegal benefit” and “nepotism”.
It was reported that one of the investigations regarding the searches made in June was opened in 2017 and the other in 2022.
In two reports published by the French Anti-Corruption Agency (AFA) in 2021, Olympic Committee President Tony Estanguet was accused of engaging in vested interests that would damage the image of the Olympics and of corruption in public funds.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be held on July 26-August 11, and the Paralympics will be held on August 28-September 8.
