The chief organizer for the 2010 Vancouver Olympics has been cleared of wrongdoing during bidding for the Winter Games by the International Olympic Committee.
Bid chief executive John Furlong said in his memoirs that a deal with Moscow's mayor may have been crucial in Vancouver's victory.
According to the book, Furlong and another bid official, Bob Storey, met with Moscow Mayor Yuri Luzhkov in his office near Red Square ahead of the IOC vote in June 2003. Luzhkov was a leader of Moscow's bid to host the 2012 Summer Olympics.
The book said a deal had been reached that involved the Vancouver team arranging a special Olympic bidding workshop for the Russians in exchange for votes from Russia's IOC members.
IOC bidding rules state that ''no promise of any kind of advantage may be made.''
''In the case of discussion with the Russian Mayor, the CEO of the Canadian bid met with the Mayor of Moscow and as far as he is not an IOC member there is no concern,'' the IOC said Saturday in a statement. ''John has confirmed to us in writing that no IOC member was involved in any unauthorized discussion.''
The book said that six or seven IOC members' votes were potentially involved in the deal, but the Olympic movement said that ''in reality the number was three.''
Vancouver beat Pyeongchang, South Korea, in the final round of the IOC vote, 56-53.
In 2005, Moscow lost in the first ballot of the voting for the 2012 Games, which were awarded to London.
Furlong's book - ''Patriot Hearts: Inside the Olympics That Changed a Country'' - was released in Canada on Feb. 12, the first anniversary of the Vancouver Games.
The IOC also cleared Furlong in relation to a claim in the book about ''Korean hostesses'' handing out gifts at a sports meeting in Argentina.
''We have sought clarification from John who has confirmed that no IOC members were involved,'' the IOC said. ''Of course, should someone else be able to bring us credible and more detailed evidence we will of course take action.''
The IOC set up an ethics commission and adopted strict rules following the Salt Lake City bidding scandal in 1999. Ten IOC members resigned or were expelled for receiving cash, lavish gifts and other improper inducements during the Utah city's winning bid for the 2002 Winter Games.
After investigating the Vancouver book, the IOC concluded: ''There is no evidence of wrongdoing and this is supported by John Furlong's confirmation that no IOC members were involved in either case.''
