The chairman of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Juan Antonio Samaranch, has admitted accepting a gift of two firearms from Salt Lake City before the capital of Utah was awarded the 2002 Winter Games. But Samaranch has denied any wrongdoing, claiming exemption from the rules governing other members of the committee.

IOC rules forbid members of the panel that selects host cities to accept gifts worth more than $150 but Samaranch maintained that, since he did not take part in the vote, that there was no reason to prevent him from taking the firearms, valued in total at just less than $1,000.

Samaranch told the Swiss newspaper, 24 Heures: "I did receive two firearms as a gift, the arms in question being a 22 Long rifle and a Browning. I did not want to refuse these presents. Because in these towns, arms are part of a certain tradition. To refuse them would have been an outrage.

"These gifts, as IOC internal rules demand, were registered and can be found in the office of the bureau of the institution in Lausanne."

"It's true that members of the jury choosing the host cities don't have the right to accept gifts worth more than 150 dollars, but this rule does not apply to me as I don't take part in the elections."

Samaranch and his wife, Maria Teresa Salisachs-Rowe, also received a native Indian head-dress and a quilt, valued at between $1000 and $5000.

The Salt Lake City organisers have admitted giving scholarships and other benefits to IOC officials and are the subject of probes from the IOC, the United States Olympic Committee, the FBI and their own ethical committee.

Samaranch had previously vowed to purge the IOC of corrupt officials and launched a probe into the allegations arising from the successful Salt Lake City bid.

The Salt Lake City committee purchased $10,000 worth of rifles wholesale to support their bid.

Browning vice-president Rich Bauter had described the guns given to Samaranch as a "Gold" - a semi-automatic hunting rifle - and a "Euro Bolt". Bauter described the arms as "nothing too expensive or too dear".

Ironically, if Samaranch emerges unscathed from the guns row, his position could be strengthened as he has proposed that future decisions on host cities be made by an 11-man board rather than the 115 members, who currently vote. This board, seen as friendly to Samaranch, would then have the power to nominate new IOC members.