Russian doping: IAAF under fire again
Lamine Diack took over as foundation president of world athletics body in 1999. PHOTO: AFP
The International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) was again forced to defend its actions over Russian doping on Monday after a leaked email showed how officials planned a damage-limitation strategy before the 2013 Moscow world championships.
The email suggesting a ‘special dossier’ on Russian drugs cheats was from IAAF deputy general secretary Nick Davies to Papa Massata Diack, the son of former president Lamine Diack, who then worked for the sport’s governing body as a marketing consultant.
Both Diacks are under investigation over corruption offences, while Russian athletes are currently banned from the sport following revelations of widespread, state-sponsored doping.
Russia accepts ‘full’ athletics doping ban
Extracts from the ‘very secret’ email published by French newspaper Le Monde, but not verified by Reuters, said: “I think that the time to have unveiled the various athletes was a long time ago and
that now we need to be smart.”
Published in The Express Tribune, December 23rd, 2015.