Former athletics president investigated for corruption – NRK

Diack is now under investigation for both corruption and money laundering, according to French authorities. The officials said.

The charges against athletics top is sensational: Diack, who gave himself as IAAF president as late as August of this year, will have received nearly 2 million from Russia for to conceal positive doping tests.

Two investigations

IAAF confirms Wednesday that police visited the union’s offices on Tuesday.

The authorities’ information derived from two investigations, both one conducted by the international anti-doping agency (WADA) and one from the IAAF own independent ethics committee.

– It is good this is addressed and investigated, for we will not have the kind of behavior in our sport, says the Norwegian Athletics President, Tore Hordnes, NRK.

– I must say I was a little surprised, but at the same time we have had some suspicions, says Hordnes.

It is still unclear how many doping tests he suspected of having covered over.

Controversial president

Diack was president of the International Association of Athletics Federations for 16 years. He is also an honorary member of the International Olympic Committee.

Already in 2011 he received a warning from the IOC after he received a payment from a marketing firm. Son Papa Massat Diack, who has also had prominent roles in the IAAF, has quit after accusations of corruption.

Before Lamine Diack resigned as president, he managed including making headlines by ridiculing the extensive doping charges against athletes August.

The Media ARD and The Times revealed that a third of the medalists from the World Championships and Olympic Games between 2001 and 2012 had suspicious blood values, but it only got Diack laugh.

– These are just allegations, not evidence. I laughed when I heard that we had not done a good enough job with doping tests, he said.

Diack was followed by Sebastian Coe in August. When boasted Coe of its predecessor, and promised to keep him as a trusted helper.

– Lamine Diack will continue to be the spiritual leader, both for athletes and for me, says Coe.

You mean the Russians want to clean up

Investigators believe therefore it is Russia that should have paid the president to hide doping results. Russia has been involved in a number of doping cases in athletics in recent years, partly as six race-goers were taken in an unannounced test in June.

– There is no doubt that there have been many cases in Russia, but it seems like they are trying to clean up this. The fact that they have taken many is a sign that they take the tests seriously, and we know that Anti-Doping Norway has assisted them. The Russians clearly state that they can not live with this, says the Norwegian athletics president.

Not Alone

In addition to Diack, at least two people under him in the organization be involved:

• The director of the IAAF anti-doping department, Gabriel Dolle, should have been detained in the south of France
• A legal adviser, Habib Cisse, is under investigation.