IAAF ‘Must’ve Been Aware’ Of Russia Doping

The first part, 323 pages released in November, revealed systemic use of performance-enhancing drugs by Russian athletes that was not acted upon by the IAAF or the Russian federation.

The commission laid bare the influence of Diack, who created a cabal around him which took control of Russian doping cases, as well as at least one Turkish case, and then extorted money from athletes to cover up positive tests. It involved two of the sons of the president.

Cisse and Dolle also are under investigation in France for suspected corruption.

Athletics Australia chief Phil Jones agreed that the Briton should remain IAAF president to help restore the organisation’s reputation.

– Former WADA president Pound said he is unable to give a timeframe for Russia’s ban from athletics to be lifted. “It can not be ignored or dismissed as attributable to the odd renegade acting on his own”.

Coe was present in Munich, having insisted on Wednesday there had been no cover-up, and he had no intention of standing down. Other IAAF leaders must also have been aware of the scale of doping in Russian Federation but did nothing to stop it, the WADA panel’s damning report said.

Pound stated that he believes Coe is the best man to lead the IAAF out of crisis and back to credibility. All our fingers are crossed in that respect.

“We can’t beg for their trust, we have to earn it, and we should not be in denial about that”.

With no action being taken by WADA, Vitaly said he was told by an unnamed official at the agency that the best advice he could provide was to go to the media.

The report, a followup to the commission’s November findings on widespread doping and corruption in Russia’s athletics program, alleges conflicts of interest in the world track and field governing body under former International Olympic Committee member Diack and misconduct ranging from anti-doping violations to criminal acts of conspiracy and bribery.

Diack’s personal legal advisor Habib Cisse also comes in for criticism, with the report stating that he was “a co-conspirator in the extortion of athletes to cover up, delay or eliminate disciplinary sanctions of Russian athletes”. The deal was signed soon after a problem – the report was unspecific – arose with the TV rights to 2013’s championships. This was provided by a Russian bank.

“The corruption was imbedded in the organization”, the report said.

“Yes I was (seven years as IAAF vice-president) and that is the weakness of sport”, Coe added.

Citing leaked internal documents, the AP report also said IAAF officials had considered collaborating with Russians to hide the full extent of the cheating before the London Olympics in 2012.

French authorities, meanwhile, seized 87,000 euros in cash from the home of Gabriel Dolle, the IAAF’s former anti-doping director, who was banned from athletics for five years last week, French prosecutors said Thursday.

Mr. Pound said given the concentration of power at the IAAF, the infrequency of meetings and the limited information council members received from the president, Mr. Coe’s claims that he didn’t know of the corruption were credible.

Coe took over the IAAF last August when Diack stood down. I know that. We are a failed organisation. He put himself forward to run for president when, as Dick Pound says, he couldn’t have been unaware of the state that the sport was in and the changes that needed to be made.

The report found “The activities (of the IAAF) in the face of suspicious (blood) values have generally been thorough and reasonable”.

“But the issue is simple: were all abnormal readings followed up?”

If you thought the corruption scandal now engulfing Federation Internationale de Football Association was bad, you haven’t seen anything yet.