The UK’s Guardian newspaper reports that Lamine Diack, the president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, will have to justify apparently letting the event become a vehicle to promote the candidature of the French capital.
Journalists were given bags endorsing the Paris bid yet making no mention of the event they were actually attending.
Although not against the rules of the International Olympic Committee, the actions are thought to stretch them to the limit. The concern for Diack might be that he will be seen to be officially backing the Paris bid.
In theory the ethics commission of the IOC could expel him if it rules that he deliberately used an international event to promote the candidature of a city when he is supposed to be impartial.
Diack is known to be against London's bid after Prime Minister Tony Blair failed to keep a written promise to build a stadium at Pickett's Lock in north London to host this year's world athletics championships.
An IAAF spokesman has insisted organisers operated within the rules.
