Samaranch document a "fake"

The document made claims against Samaranch

The International Olympic Committe has dismissed a document accusing its chief Juan Antonio Samaranch of favouring Beijing to host the 2008 Olympics.

A number of media organisations had received a fax claiming to be from an anonymous IOC member.

It said Samaranch had changed the conclusions of the IOC's bid evaluation committee to show that Beijing was best equipped to host the Games.

The fax stated that "Samaranch was biased towards the Chinese capital."

The document in question is a fake - just like the allegations it contains

  An IOC spokesman

However the IOC has dismissed the allegations.

"The document in question is a fake, just like the allegations it contains," said a spokesman.

Beijing, Paris, Toronto and outsiders Osaka and Istanbul, are bidding to host the 2008 Games.

The IOC is due to choose the host city at a conference in Moscow on 13 July.

Meanwhile, the head of the committee promoting the Paris bid is reported to have been questioned by police investigating a case of alleged money laundering.

Claude Bebear, founder and ex-chairman of French insurer AXA, faces police questioning in connection with a probe into Luxembourg-based insurer PanEurolife, according to a police source.