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The police in France have searched the headquarters of the organizers of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
The police are doing this because there are two investigations about possible corruption. The police are checking if there was favoritism and if public money was misused when giving out contracts for new building and construction projects.
A spokesperson for the Olympics organizing committee said they are helping the investigators with everything they need.
On Tuesday, anti-corruption investigators came to the headquarters of the Olympics organizing committee in a suburb of Paris called Saint-Denis. They also went to the offices of Solideo, which is the group in charge of the building and construction projects for the games.
The French organization that investigates financial crimes confirmed that they are searching different places connected to these two groups.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will take place from July 26 to August 11, and the Paralympics will be in September.
These police searches on Tuesday are the latest problems for the Olympic games and sports in France.
A few months ago, the president of France’s National Olympic Committee, Brigitte Henriques, suddenly quit her job. There was no clear reason why she quit, but people said there was a lot of fighting inside the committee.
Also, earlier this year, the leaders of the French Football Federation and the French Rugby Federation had to step down because of big scandals.
Vocabulary
- Search – To look for something or try to find information
- Headquarters – The main building or place where an organization, company or group is based
- Organizer – a person or group that organizes an event or meeting
- Investigation – the action of examining/studying something carefully to learn the truth about it; a thorough search for facts; study; analysis
- Corruption – When people use their power or position in a dishonest way for personal gain
- Favoritism – When someone shows unfair preference or special treatment to one person but not others
- Public money – Money that belongs to and is used by the government or the community and comes from tax payers
- Misuse – Using something in the wrong way or for the wrong purpose
- Contract – an agreement between two or more people or organizations; an agreement to perform or complete a job
- Construction – the action of building something; creation; the process of making a building
- Spokesperson – a person who speaks professionally/officially for a company
- Committee – a group of people who work together on a task or project
- Suburb(s) – a residential area outside or around a city; the area between a city and countryside
- In charge of – To be responsible for or in control of something
- Organization – a group of people with one purpose; an agency; a society; company
- Financial – related to finance, money or banking
- Crime – An action that breaks the law and can hurt or harm others
- Take place – happen; occur;
- Latest – newest; most recent;
- President – leader; the top person in a large company, organization, or country; boss
- Quit – to stop doing; to give up; to cancel; to leave a job
- Leader – someone who is in charge of a group, organization or country; a boss or manager; a person who guides, directs, or commands a group
- Federation – A group or organization made up of smaller groups or states that work together for a common purpose
Quiz
Discussion Questions
- How do you think the recent problems and investigations could change people’s opinions about the Paris 2024 Olympic Games?
- Should there be stronger rules and more watching over how contracts are given out for big sports events to stop unfair behavior? Why or why not?
- How might these problems and investigations make people less interested in sports, both in France and around the world?
- What do you think the Olympics organizing committee should do to make people trust them again and be sure everything is fair for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games?
- English teachers looking for teaching ideas, check out my post on using easy news articles for lessons.
- English learners looking for study ideas, check out my post on using news stories for English practice.
