by Larry Eder
Lamine Diack, photo by PhotoRun.net
This is an emerging story, that is, still 24 hours later, quite fluid.
AFP and several media organizations, including Reuters, have reported that Lamine Diack, his adviser, Habib Cisse, and IAAF former anti-drug department director, Gabriel Dolle, are all the focus of a French criminal investigation. AFP refered to the charges with Diack as “passive involvement.” Nevertheless, French authorities have requested Diack not leave the country, taken his passport and required $550k US bail.
Inside the Games put this piece out on 11/4/2015 :http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1031424/former-iaaf-president-diack-accused-of-taking-cash-to-cover-up-russian-doping
Additional updates include that Dick Pound will reveal WADA investigation on Russian drug issues on November 9, 2015 in Geneva, Switzerland.
On 11/5/2015, L’Equipe claimed that the IAAF would cancel the IAAF Awards Gala this year on November 28.
These are sad days for our sport, but if the sport is to survive, the truth must come out. Dick Pound now seems to have the support to get to the bottom of the allegations.
IAAF Statement
MONACO (MON): The IAAF confirmed that, emanating from separate ongoing investigations by WADA’s independent commission and the IAAF’s own independent Ethics Commission into allegations surrounding its anti-doping rules and regulations, a French police investigation has now commenced. The IAAF is fully cooperating with all investigations as it has been from the beginning of the process. As part of the French investigation, police visited the IAAF HQ offices yesterday to carry out interviews and to access documentation. The IAAF will make no further comment at this time. Says IAAF statement.
Media reports
PARIS (FRA): French authorities have opened a criminal investigation into former IAAF president Lamine Diack for allegedly accepting money, several media are reporting. After being taken into custody, the former IAAF President was released on bail of approximately 550 000 USD. He was ordered to turn in his passport and not leave France. Diack’s legal adviser, Habib Cisse, also faces a corruption charge, and Gabriel Dolle, the former director of the IAAF’s anti-doping department, has been taken into custody. Informs si.com and AP with AFP. The French judicial inquiry follows information received from the World Anti-Doping Agency in August and is being conducted by French financial prosecutors. Sebastian Coe, the new president of the IAAF, “talked freely, on its own initiative, with the police,” said Chris Turner, spokesman for the IAAF.
WADA statement
MONTREAL (CAN): WADA statement on the current situation: “WADA is aware of the ongoing criminal investigations relating to sport officials and allegations of corruption and money-laundering, as announced by the French authorities earlier today. These investigations are a result of information passed on by WADA’s Independent Commission (IC) to the relevant authorities. WADA will make no further comment at this time.”
IOC Ethics Commission
LAUSANNE (SUI): The IOC ethics commission will look into the case of Lamine Diack, the former IAAF president who is under investigation in France on corruption and money-laundering charges. Diack is an honorary member of the IOC. Paquerette Zappelli, the IOC’s chief ethics and compliance officer, says “in light of the criminal investigation against Mr. Lamine Diack … I have decided to refer this case to the IOC ethics commission.”‘ Informs AP.
