by Larry EderBBC announced on Saturday, November 7, that they had spoken to one of the co-writers of the WADA report on the Russian doping crisis, that will be revealed on November 9, in Geneva, Switzerland, by WADA.
With the ongoing French investigation and the leaked comments from this report, the dark cloud hanging over the IAAF and the sport seems to be only beginning.
At this time, RunBlogRun’s stance is to provide a variety of well sourced media reports. The fluidity of the investigation and the leaking of the WADA report are pretty much de rigeur for modern media spectacles. Several things that should be noted: 1) Dick Pound was the first man to recognize the issue with inconsistent drug testing in some countries as compared with US, Canada and UK, 2) Dick Pound is respected as a man who is focused on cleaning up the sport, and 3) many of the issues being charged and discussed have been on the rumor mill among different circles in our sport of athletics. 4) There are many good people, in IAAF, in many of the organizations of sport, who also see that the time has come to clean up the sport. 5) The challenges are right now, what is true and what is rumor?
For our sport to move forward, we have to discuss the improprieties at our sport and those who violated our sports rules and trust must be be brought to justice.
Athletics corruption on a ‘different scale’, says report
A report into claims of doping cover-ups, extortion and money-laundering in athletics will show “a whole different scale of corruption” even compared to Fifa, says co-author Richard McLaren.
The independent commission, set up by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada), is set to report its findings on Monday.
McLaren said: “This is going to be a real game-changer for sport.”
Meanwhile, the son of ex-IAAF chief Lamine Diack is among four men charged by the body over ethics code breaches.
Timeline: Athletics doping accusations |
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December 2014: German documentary alleges Russian doping scandal |
Papa Massata Diack is a former consultant to the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations), the sport’s world governing body.
The charges relate to covering up Russian athlete Liliya Shobukhova’s doping violations, the IAAF ethics commission chairman said.
They came in the week that former IAAF president Lamine Diack was placed under investigation by French police, over allegations the 82-year-old took payments for deferring sanctions against Russian drugs cheats.
McLaren, who was appointed by Wada in December 2014 to investigate allegations made in a German TV documentary of systematic doping and cover-ups in Russia, said ahead of Monday’s report his team had “found evidence to support what was said in the documentary”.
He told the BBC World Service: “We were given a very narrow mandate and asked to look at that documentary and determine the accuracy of it, to what extent it was correct.
“The contents of our report speak for itself, I think.”
McLaren, an international sports lawyer who is one of three Wada independent commissioners to have co-authored the document, added they had “absolutely no power” to implement changes, only to make recommendations.
“I’d like to see all of the recommendations adopted and acted on and I’m sure the press will vigilant to seeing that that occurs,” he added.
Lamine Diack, then IAAF president, told BBC Sport in February 2015 that his son was innocent of wrongdoing
Along with Papa Massata Diack, the other three men charged by the IAAF are: the former head of the IAAF anti-doping department Gabriel Dolle, the former president of the All-Russia Athletic Federation (ARAF) Alexei Melnikov and Valentin Balakhnichev, a former chief ARAF coach for long distance walkers and runners.
The charges were issued in September and announced after new IAAF president Lord Coe won approval to amend the code. Their cases will be heard in London on 16-18 December.
IAAF ethics commission chairman Michael Beloff QC said an investigation was “also ongoing in respect of an additional person”.
McLaren added: “You potentially have a bunch of old men who put a whole lot of extra money in their pockets – through extortion and bribes – but also caused significant changes to actual results and final standings of international athletics competitions.”
The investigations into the accused officials came about after the independent Wada commission passed on information during their inquiries.
