London: The black market

A Sunday Times investigation revealed that Olympic ticket agents resold thousands of passes to the 2012 Games at more than 10 times their value. Of the 9 million tickets,distributors sold off 1.2 million: in Serbia 1,500 tickets went for 125,000,in China,single tickets went for 9,000. The biggest player to emerge: Greek Olympic Committee president Spyros Capralos,who was instrumental in Athenss 2004 bid.

SYDNEY: NOT SO CLEAN

Australian Olympic Committee AOC president John Coates released documents revealing that he had engaged in vote-buying in 1993 to secure Sydneys 2000 bid. Officials had previously claimed that Sydney was corruption free. Consultants were hired to contact delegates from Africa,Middle East and South America for votes,offering them Australian 50,000 each. African athletes were promised sports training in Canberra. Sepp Blatters current FIFA president daughter Corinne was given a job,as were others related to IOC members.

SALT LAKE CITY: VOTE-buying

It bid to host the Olympics four times and lost,till 1998,when Salt Lake City won the bid to host the 2002 Winter Games. However,the International Olympic Committee IOCs Marc Hodler blew the whistle on his colleagues,who had accepted bribes to vote for the city. Reportedly,the Salt Lake Organising Committee did a lot for certain IOC members: paid for family vacations,plastic surgery,college tuition and Super Bowl tickets. They also loaded them with almost 7 million cash. Allegations emerged prostitutes were also provided to sway voters.

NAGANO: MONSTER PARTY

Before the final vote to determine the host of 1998s Winter Games,Naganos campaign members reportedly threw a monster party for the IOC in Britains former PM Neville Chamberlains house. The secret entertainment apparently cost 24 million yen about 240,000. 180 members were flown to Birmingham,where the final vote was being taken,fed sushi by kimono-clad women. Evidence emerged later that the city had used its vast war-chest to win the bidding; Nagano officials said they had burned 90 financial ledgers relating to the bid.

ATLANTA: TAINTED

Atlantas successful bid for the 1996 Summer Olympics came under the scanner when documents showing that gifts,favours and payments were released. A number of IOC members eager to secure Atlantas bid donated 25,000 to the South African Non-Racial Olympic Committee,and gave 38 gifts that exceeded the IOCs limit,including a 948 carburettor kit to Bashir Mohamed Attarabulsi of Libya,who resigned in the Salt Lake City scandal. A Tiffany jewellry box went to Kim Un-Yong,a powerful member from South Korea.