TOKYO, Jan 7: Tokyo has been warned by the International Olympic Committee over allegedly violating bidding rules in its campaign to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, an official said Monday.

The 2016 Tokyo Olympics Campaign Office said it received a letter of warning last month from the IOC, which accepted a complaint from the Brazilian Olympic Committee (BOC) accusing Tokyo of violating the code of conduct.

A Japanese diplomat in Rio de Janeiro had asked BOC president Carlos Arthur Nuzman about Brazil’s hopes to host the 2016 Summer Games, noting it would come only two years after the country hosts the World Cup football finals.

IOC rules call on bidding cities to “pay respect” to rival bidders during their campaign.

“We take this case seriously,” Ichiro Kono, the 2016 Tokyo Olympics campaign chief, said in a statement.

“While we believe the letter will not affect the Tokyo bid activities, we will continue trying to follow the code of conduct and make an effort so Tokyo succeeds in hosting the Games.”

Tokyo is hoping to host the Summer Olympics for the second time. The 1964 Tokyo Olympics were the first Games in Asia and a symbol of Japan’s dramatic rebirth from the devastation of World War II.

Rio de Janeiro is also expected to bid for the 2016 Olympics along with Chicago in the United States, Doha in Qatar, Baku in Azerbaijan, Prague in the Czech Republic and Madrid in Spain.—AFP