TOKYO (AP) — The chief executive of Tokyo's Olympic organizing committee says there is no need for another top Japanese official to resign despite being investigated in a bribery scandal.
Toshiro Muto defended Tsunekazu Takeda, who is the head of the Japanese Olympic Committee and a vice president of the 2020 organizing committee.
Muto says "Mr. Takeda is saying that he is completely innocent."
Takeda has denied corruption allegations against him and is being investigated by a French magistrate.
Takeda has acknowledged signing off on about $2 million in payments to a Singapore consulting company, Black Tidings, just before the International Olympic Committee awarded Tokyo the games in 2013.
French investigators have linked the company to a former IOC member from Senegal, Lamine Diack, who was known to be powerful swaying votes from Africa.
———
More AP sports: https://apnews.com/apf-sports and https://twitter.com/AP—Sports
