Paris Olympics security chief resigns over 'inappropriate' conduct
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Ziad Khoury was suspended on March 21 “as a precautionary measure” pending an administrative investigation.
PHOTO: REUTERS
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PARIS – Paris Olympics security coordinator Ziad Khoury has resigned following his suspension for alleged “inappropriate behaviour” towards a woman, officials said on Sunday.
Khoury’s functions were “terminated at his request”, according to the official newsletter of the 2024 Games.
The 53-year-old had been the subject of a complaint following inappropriate remarks that he was alleged to have made during a trip to London in December 2021.
“During this trip, there were a dozen people who accompanied him, he is accused of having awkward remarks but he is calm, he has nothing to reproach himself for,” a colleague told the Le Parisien newspaper.
He was suspended on March 21 “as a precautionary measure” pending an administrative investigation, the interior ministry said.
The outcome of this investigation was to have been made public “within a month” but has not yet been disclosed.
According to a source, the inspection commission carrying out the probe judged that there was no reason to report the case to the French justice system “in complete independence and with regard to the elements which were in possession at the time of its conclusions”.
But according to the same source, there were other allegations made against Khoury, who was appointed to the government position in June 2021.
Before taking up the post, Khoury had previously been in charge of the police in Aisne, a department to the north of Paris. He also notably managed security during the Euro 2016 football tournament in France. His successor has not yet been named.
Security will be a key issue at Paris 2024, particularly with a massive crowd expected at a planned opening ceremony on the River Seine which is scheduled to feature athletes on a flotilla of boats.
Khoury’s resignation is the latest issue for Paris organisers. In March, a poll published found that around four out of five French people thought that tickets were too expensive.
Successful applicants have been obliged to buy places for three events at the same time, with many finding sports priced at a minimum €80 (S$115), meaning a family of four could face a bill of nearly €1,000. AFP
