‘Corruption embedded within IAAF’ - anti-doping report | CNN

Athletics: ‘Corruption embedded within IAAF’ - anti-doping report

By Rob Hodgetts
2 minute read
Updated 10:10 AM EST, Thu January 14, 2016
The World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) new report is the latest twist to hit the Russian doping scandal, building on Professor Richard Mclaren's initial findings, published in July, which concluded doping was widespread among Russian athletes.
The World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) new report is the latest twist to hit the Russian doping scandal, building on Professor Richard Mclaren's initial findings, published in July, which concluded doping was widespread among Russian athletes.
FRANCK FIFE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
More than 1,000 Russian athletes across 30 sports -- including football -- benefited from state-sponsored doping, according to the latest report.
More than 1,000 Russian athletes across 30 sports -- including football -- benefited from state-sponsored doping, according to the latest report.
ALEXANDER JOE/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
The doping program, across summer, winter and Paralympic sports, was in operation from 2011 to 2015, said Mr McLaren, who presented his latest findings at a news conference in London Friday.
The doping program, across summer, winter and Paralympic sports, was in operation from 2011 to 2015, said Mr McLaren, who presented his latest findings at a news conference in London Friday.
JOEL SAGET/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
WADA's initial report on alleged widespread drug use in international athletics concluded that senior figures including IAAF president Sebastian Coe (pictured) "could not have been unaware of the extent of doping."
WADA's initial report on alleged widespread drug use in international athletics concluded that senior figures including IAAF president Sebastian Coe (pictured) "could not have been unaware of the extent of doping."
LUKAS BARTH/AFP/AFP/Getty Images
Former WADA president Dick Pound chaired a press conference held in Munich on January 14, 2016 to present the 89-page report. It said "corruption was embedded" and "cannot be blamed on a small number of miscreants" within the IAAF.
Former WADA president Dick Pound chaired a press conference held in Munich on January 14, 2016 to present the 89-page report. It said "corruption was embedded" and "cannot be blamed on a small number of miscreants" within the IAAF.
LUKAS BARTH/AFP/Getty Images
A report by the IAAF's ethics committee claims a powerful trio blackmailed Russian distance runner Lilya Shobukhova into paying them off to keep results of her positive drug tests secret.
A report by the IAAF's ethics committee claims a powerful trio blackmailed Russian distance runner Lilya Shobukhova into paying them off to keep results of her positive drug tests secret.
Russia's former athletics president Valentin Balakhnichev, its ex-chief coach for long-distance athletes Alexei Melnikov and former IAAF consultant Papa Massata Diack have all been banned for life. The report said "far from supporting the anti-doping regime, they subverted it." The IAAF's former anti-doping director Gabriel Dollé has been given a five-year ban.
Russia's former athletics president Valentin Balakhnichev, its ex-chief coach for long-distance athletes Alexei Melnikov and former IAAF consultant Papa Massata Diack have all been banned for life. The report said "far from supporting the anti-doping regime, they subverted it." The IAAF's former anti-doping director Gabriel Dollé has been given a five-year ban.
Paul Gilham/Getty Images/file
The report claims Balakhnichev, Melnikov and Papa Massata Diack "conspired together ... to conceal for more than three years anti-doping violations by an athlete at what appeared to be the highest pinnacle of her sport. All three compounded the vice of what they did by conspiring to extort what were in substance bribes from Shobukhova by acts of blackmail."
The report claims Balakhnichev, Melnikov and Papa Massata Diack "conspired together ... to conceal for more than three years anti-doping violations by an athlete at what appeared to be the highest pinnacle of her sport. All three compounded the vice of what they did by conspiring to extort what were in substance bribes from Shobukhova by acts of blackmail."
BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images/file
Pound produced an independent report in November 2015 which detailed systemic doping in Russia along with an establishment effort to cover it up. He recommended Russia be banned from athletic competition, which it duly was by the IAAF.
Pound produced an independent report in November 2015 which detailed systemic doping in Russia along with an establishment effort to cover it up. He recommended Russia be banned from athletic competition, which it duly was by the IAAF.
Getty Images
The findings uncovered a "deeply-rooted culture of cheating at all levels" within Russian athletics. Asked if it amounted to state-sponsored doping, Pound told reporters: "In the sense of consenting to it, there's no other conclusion."
The findings uncovered a "deeply-rooted culture of cheating at all levels" within Russian athletics. Asked if it amounted to state-sponsored doping, Pound told reporters: "In the sense of consenting to it, there's no other conclusion."
Robert Cianflone/Getty Images/file
The report suggested the London 2012 Olympics -- in which Russia won 24 gold medals and finished fourth -- was "in a sense, sabotaged by the admission of athletes who should have not been competing."
The report suggested the London 2012 Olympics -- in which Russia won 24 gold medals and finished fourth -- was "in a sense, sabotaged by the admission of athletes who should have not been competing."
Al Bello/Getty Images/file
Pound's report detailed "corruption and bribery practices at the highest levels of international athletics," evidence of which has been given to international crime-fighting organization Interpol for further investigation.
Pound's report detailed "corruption and bribery practices at the highest levels of international athletics," evidence of which has been given to international crime-fighting organization Interpol for further investigation.
Glenn Hunt/Getty Images
Senegal's Lamine Diack, former president of the IAAF, is being investigated by French police over claims he accepted bribes to defer sanctions against drug cheats from Russia. French prosecutors claim he took "more than €1 million ($1M)" for his silence. Diack has yet to comment.
Senegal's Lamine Diack, former president of the IAAF, is being investigated by French police over claims he accepted bribes to defer sanctions against drug cheats from Russia. French prosecutors claim he took "more than €1 million ($1M)" for his silence. Diack has yet to comment.
Paul Gilham/Getty Images
Coe, a former Olympic gold medalist, has come under fire for his praise for predecessor Diack, whom he called the sport's "spiritual leader" when he took over the role in August 2015. He told CNN he would "do anything to fix our sport."
Coe, a former Olympic gold medalist, has come under fire for his praise for predecessor Diack, whom he called the sport's "spiritual leader" when he took over the role in August 2015. He told CNN he would "do anything to fix our sport."
Andrew Redington/Getty Images Europe/Getty Images
Athletics in crisis

Story highlights

IAAF "could not be unaware of the extent of doping" according to new WADA report

WADA report claims "corruption was embedded" within the IAAF

CNN  — 

Senior figures at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), including new president Sebastian Coe, “could not have been unaware of the extent of doping in athletics,” according to an independent commission report from the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

The 89-page report, published Thursday, claims “corruption was embedded” and “cannot be blamed on a small number of miscreants” within the IAAF, athletics’ world governing body.

Ex-IAAF president Lamine Diack, who is wanted by Interpol, was “responsible for organizing and enabling” corruption, the document said.

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seb coe athletics iaff doping davies intv_00015028.jpg
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“Certain individuals within the IAAF went beyond sporting corruption and may have been criminal corruption. It demonstrates that the time for reform – and nor denial – is now,” said Professor Richard McLaren, legal counsel for the commission.

Lord Coe, 59, succeeded Lamine Diack as IAAF president in August, after eight years as a vice president.

Coe was not immediately available for comment, but Pound said the IAAF had a “golden opportunity” to reform with the former Olympic champion at the helm.

WADA said Russia was guilty of “state-sponsored doping” in its first report published in November, leading to the IAAF banning Russian athletes from competition.

The IAAF’s ethics committee said earlier this month that a powerful trio blackmailed Russian distance runner Lilya Shobukhova into paying them off to keep results of her positive drug tests secret.

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ws doping explainer_00004103.jpg
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It also alleged the Russian deputy minister for sport was told by the country’s former athletics federation president Valentin Balakhnichev that it had been blackmailed by the IAAF since 2011, a claim the Russian official denies.

The son of Diack, Papa Massata Diack – a former IAAF consultant – as well as Balakhnichev and Russia’s former chief coach for long-distance athletes Alexei Melnikov, were all banned for life.

The IAAF’s former anti-doping director Gabriel Dollé was given a five-year ban.