Sports Briefs
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FRENCH police have charged Lamine Diack, former president of the International Association of Athletics Federations, IAAF, over suspicions he took bribes to cover up doping cases, investigators said Wednesday, November 4.
Diack was arrested on Sunday, November 1, for an alleged doping cover up for some Russian athletes, reports said. He was released on Tuesday, November 3.
The 82-year-old Senegalese, who was president of the IAAF for 16 years, ended his tenure in August and he handed over to Sebastian Coe, a Briton and newly elected president of the organisation.
According to IAAF statement, police raided the headquarters of the association in Monaco before charging Diack. Coe asked to be questioned by investigators over the case during the raid on Tuesday, November 3, IAAF spokesman Chris Turner told AFP.
The sensational charges were laid ahead of the release this month of a report by a World Anti-Doping Agency, WADA, commissioned into allegations of widespread substance abuse in Russia, Kenya and among world champions.
Diack and Habib Cisse, his legal advisor, were charged with corruption, money laundering and conspiracy, French prosecutors said in a statement.
Both were released on bail. Gabriel Dolle, a former IAAF anti-doping doctor, was similarly detained for questioning.
About 50 Russian athletes are currently banned by the IAAF, the highest number of any country, and Coe addressed Russian coaches during his two-day visit to Russia during the week to meet Vitaly Mutko, sports minister, and Olympic leaders, an IAAF statement said.
“I expressed my uncompromising position on the issue of doping in athletics and the importance for the sport to build trust and defend clean athletes at all times,” Coe said, adding: “I was able to meet and interact directly with Russian athletes, coaches and officials, and I appreciated their openness, passion for our sport and noted a real appetite for change.”
Russian sports leaders have denied they have higher levels of doping than in other countries.
— Nov 16, 2015 @ 01:00 GMT
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