PARIS (NEWSnet/AP) — The Paris Olympics organizing committee has expressed surprise that the salary of its president is reportedly being investigated by the French National Financial Prosecutor’s Office.

According to French media, quoting the French agency AFP on Tuesday, the investigation into Tony Estanguet’s pay was handed to Paris police last week, less than six months before the Olympic Games open on July 26.

Paris organizers said they have not been contacted by investigators and could not confirm a probe is ongoing.

The Games organizing committee set Estanguet’s pay in 2018 at the end of its first board meeting. It was then agreed that the former three-time Olympic canoe champion would receive an annual pay of $290,000 gross, with possible extra incentives based on performance criteria that would not exceed 20% of annual salary.

Organizers told reporters on Tuesday that Estanguet’s pay — which has not risen since 2018 — is not capped by French law.

“We wish to remind people that the organising committee president’s remuneration is subject to a strict framework,” Games organizers said on Tuesday in a statement.

As president, Estanguet does not have an employee statute within the organizing committee and invoices his services on a monthly basis.

The organizers added Estanguet’s income was decided independently, in line with the advice of a committee “made up of independent experts whose role is to ensure the appropriateness of our remuneration policy.”

The organizing committee said Estanguet’s payment terms were approved by France’s General Economic and Financial Control body, following consultation with the main body involved in the collection and distribution of social security contributions.

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