Tokyo Olympic organizers at home and abroad are believed to have already shared information in 2018 on how companies running competition venues would be selected, and shortlisted candidates, before bidding for pre-games test events began, a source close to the matter said Tuesday.
The revelation involving the International Olympic Committee follows the launch of a probe by Tokyo prosecutors into advertising firms and event producers over alleged bid-rigging for contracts related to test events held before last year's Summer Games.
The prosecutors and Japan's fair trade watchdog suspect that Dentsu and other companies under investigation colluded with the now-defunct Tokyo Organising Committee in winning 26 open bids held between May and August of 2018 for the rights to design 56 test events.