PARIS, June 26: IOC member and former French Sports Minister Guy Drut announced on Sunday he is to stand aside from the Paris 2012 bid and his posts within the International Olympic Committee until his corruption trial is finished, IOC sources told AFP on Sunday.

The 54-year-old had already privately told several IOC members in Almeria, Spain, where he is attending the Mediterranean Games.

He made his decision public by issuing a short statement.

“In order to avoid any one taking advantage of the court case concerning me and in which I believe I will be found innocent I have decided not to attend the next IOC session in Singapore from July 5-9.”

According to friends of Drut, he was determined that he did not want the legal case against him to harm either Paris 2012 or the IOC.

“He has no doubt he will be found not guilty but he is determined that his case will not be made an issue that could harm either Paris 2012 or the IOC,” said a friend of Drut.

Last month Drut, the 1976 Montreal Olympic 110-metres hurdles champion, was accused of picking up a 3,000 euro-a-month (3,847 dollar) salary for a non-existent job with a building company from 1990 to 1993.

Drut, a member of Parliament for the ruling UMP party of French president Jacques Chirac, insisted that his “conscience is clear.”—AFP