The International Olympic Committee (IOC) is to investigate allegations by former New South Wales Olympics minister Bruce Baird that he was asked to pay bribes during Sydney's successful bid for the 2000 games and officials of Toronto's failed bid to stage the 1996 summer games have accused several members of the IOC of having sold on air tickets given to them to visit the candidate city.

Australian IOC executive board member Kevan Gosper said yesterday he had spoken to Baird about his claims that he was approached by one IOC member and an intermediary seeking cash in exchange for votes during the bid in 1993.

"He's advised me of two conversations he had at the time of the Sydney bid, which may have been interpreted to be seeking some sort of opportunity," Gosper told Australian radio. "I've asked him to set that down on some piece of paper and I'll use that as part of the process we're going to have when I get back to Lausanne next week."

The evidence would be presented to the IOC's inquiry into the bribery allegations involving Salt Lake City, the hosts of the 2002 Winter Games.

The Australian Minister for Sport, Jackie Kelly, called for Baird's allegations to be investigated immediately by the IOC.

Baird, a former state Olympics minister and now a member of the federal parliament, said he could tell investigators about people claiming to represent IOC members who had wanted to do deals to ensure a successful Sydney bid.

He could also give them the name of an IOC member who had hinted at some inducement.

"We certainly have got nothing to hide and I would be perfectly happy to participate in any inquiry. Maybe some of the other cities may not be so keen," he said.

A source from Toronto's bid committee, which lost out to Atlanta, told of several abuses in 1990 when Atlanta and Toronto's bids for the summer games and Salt Lake City's for the winter games were at a delicate stage.

The source claimed several IOC members had profited from the situation to reimburse themselves the cost of the offered first-class flights and organise their own economy, or free flights. One member even resold the two tickets he was given and never bothered visiting Toronto.

Another asked for, and received, tickets for several other people in contravention of IOC rules that say only one guest can accompany each observer.

The IOC sent letters this week to members implicated in the investigation into Salt Lake City, demanding an explanation.