President of the Rio Olympic committee Carlos Nuzman has been arrested in Brazil as part of a cash-for-votes probe after the bid for the 2016 Olympics was won.

The arrest is part of the corruption investigation, known as operation unfair play.

According to Brazilian media Leonardo Gryner, the committee’s Director General, was also arrested.

The inquiry is being conducted in conjunction with French and US police.

In September Nuzman’s home was searched. He was questioned and had his passport seized.

The 72-year-old has led the committee since 1995 and headed Rio’s successful bid to host the 2016 games.

He stands accused of acting as an intermediary in a cash-for-votes scheme to ensure the support of an influential member of the international Olympic committee, Lamine Diack.

Diack was arrested in Paris in 2015 for corruption allegations involving the covering up of the Russian doping scandal.