Brazilian Olympic Committee president arrested on corruption charges

Rio de Janeiro, Oct 5 (IANS) Brazilian Olympic Committee president Carlos Arthur Nuzman was arrested on Thursday for allegedly participating in a vote-buying scheme linked to Rio de Janeiro's selection as host city for the 2016 Summer Olympics, police said.

Nuzman, who also served as president of the Rio 2016 Committee, was detained in the southern part of Rio de Janeiro as part of an investigation into fraudulent activities linked to the Games, reports Efe.

Leonardo Gryner, director of operations for the Rio 2016 Committee, was also arrested, media reports said.

In September, prosecutors asked a court to freeze 1 trillion reais (about $300 million) of assets belonging to the 72-year-old Nuzman, businessman Arthur Cesar Soares de Menezes Filho and a third person suspected of bribing an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member to vote for Rio's bid.

Prosecutors have asked authorities in Antigua and Barbuda, France, the US and the UK to assist with the investigation.

IOC said that it is considering provisional measures following the arrest of Nuzman.

"The IOC Ethics Commission's activities started immediately after the allegations were made, and the investigation is ongoing. Given the new facts, the IOC Ethics Commission may consider provisional measures while respecting Nuzman's right to be heard," the IOC said in a statement.

The IOC asked the Brazilian authorities for more information about the case.

Rio de Janeiro was awarded the 2016 Summer Olympics that Chicago and Tokyo were competing for against the Brazilian city to host.