The International Olympic Committee Ethics Commission summoned leaders of the five cities vying for the 2012 Olympics to Berlin yesterday to see if any of them broke bidding rules by offering incentives.
The move came after representatives of New York and London -- seeking votes in the final stretch of the campaign -- promised subsidies, free marketing and other benefits to international sports federations and national Olympic committees.
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_____ 2004 Summer Olympics _____
• Look back at the Athens Games, highlighted by Michael Phelps's eight medals and marked by unfounded worries over terrorism.
• Photos
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IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said the panel was trying to determine whether the proposals went beyond what the cities listed in their official bid documents in November. New York and London bid officials said their proposals were included.
London and New York are competing against Paris, Madrid and Moscow. The IOC will select the host city in Singapore on July 6.
The five bid chiefs were called into separate meetings with French magistrate Paquerette Girard-Zappelli, the IOC ethics official who monitors compliance with bid rules. The panel has the power to recommend warnings or sanctions.
"She's looking at it as a day-to-day issue to clarify," Davies said. "We're not talking about an investigation at this stage."
Girard-Zappelli declined comment.
IOC ethics rules have been tightened since the Salt Lake City bid scandal, which led to the ouster of 10 IOC members for accepting cash, scholarships, lavish gifts and other improper benefits.
Yesterday's inquiry came a day after London announced a package of more than $20 million in assistance to athletes and Olympic committees, including $50,000 "credits" to each national Olympic body toward the cost of using pre-Games training facilities in Britain.
London said it also budgeted $10 million to cover flexible, round-trip economy air fares for all 10,500 athletes and several thousand team officials. Other perks include $100 worth of free phone calls for athletes, free train travel throughout Britain after the Games and discounts at restaurants, shops and theaters.
On Sunday, New York promised to market each of the 28 Olympic sports for free in the seven-year period leading to the games. Federations would get free office space, with computers, phones and staff.
-- From News Services
