September 27, 2010 – Russian President Dmitry Medvedev has ordered an official investigation into allegations of corruption surrounding the building of facilities for the 2014 Olympic Winter Games to be held in Sochi reports Radio Free Europe. Russian independent newspaper Novoya Gazeta obtained a copy of a memorandum between Medvedev and Russian Prosecutor-General Yury Chaika bearing the instructions “Investigate and Report” blow the presidential stamp. –

Novaya Gazeta’s article outlines how the Presidential Affairs Department demanded kickbacks of up to 1.5 million rubles ($50,000) from Valery Morozov. Morozov’s company, Moskonverstprom, was bidding on contracts to build Olympic facilities for Sochi.

This order comes in the wake of other Olympic-related fraud allegations and other embarrassments for the next Olympic host.

Radio broadcaster The Voice of Russia reported earlier this month that the Prosecutor-General has filed two law suits relating to the embezzlement of funds during Russian preparations for the Vancouver Olympics.

Russian Olympian Nikolai Pankratov was detained early in September by Swiss boarder officials for possession of Actovegin and banned intravenous injection equipment. FIS also imposed $154,000 in sanctions against the Russian Winter Sport Association for lax anti-doping controls. These stories, coupled with suspicion of corruption at the highest levels of Russia’s Olympic movement could have grave consequences for the legitimacy of the country that will play host to the next Winter Olympics.

Full Radio Free Europe report HERE.