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WADA ties Putin to former IAAF head in doping scandal, AP reports WADA’s new report cites ‘embedded’ culture of corruption in IAAF
(35 minutes later)
An “embedded” culture of corruption within track and field’s world governing body played a major role in the vast and state-sponsored doping scandal engulfing Russia’s athletics federation, according to the Associated Press. The cooperation between the IAAF and Russia was so ingrained and high-level, former IAAF president Lamine Diack suggested to a lawyer that he could cut a deal with Russian president Vladimir Putin over the fates of Russian athletes accused of doping. An “embedded” culture of corruption within track and field’s world governing body played a major role in the vast and state-sponsored doping scandal engulfing Russia’s athletics federation, according to a report released Thursday by WADA. The cooperation between the IAAF and Russia was so ingrained and high-level, former IAAF president Lamine Diack suggested to a lawyer that he could cut a deal with Russian president Vladimir Putin over the fates of Russian athletes accused of doping.
The AP’s report Thursday morning cited a highly anticipated report from an independent commission of the World Anti-Doping Agency, which was due later Thursday. The AP had been provided details from the report in advance of its release. The corruption within the IAAF “cannot be blamed on a small number of miscreants,” as the IAAF had widely claimed. Instead, the report said, the corruption “was embedded in the organization.”
The corruption with the IAAF, the AP reported, citing the WADA report, “cannot be blamed on a small number of miscreants” — as the IAAF had widely claimed. Instead, the report said, the corruption “was embedded in the organization.”
Specifically, the report concludes there was no way the IAAF Council — which included current IAAF President Sebastian Coe — could have been unaware of the extent of Russia’s doping program.Specifically, the report concludes there was no way the IAAF Council — which included current IAAF President Sebastian Coe — could have been unaware of the extent of Russia’s doping program.
[IAAF knew about Russian doping, AP report says][IAAF knew about Russian doping, AP report says]
According to the AP’s advance detailing of the WADA report, the Russian television rights to broadcast the 2013 World Championships, held in Moscow, suddenly increased from $6 million to $25 million around the same time the IAAF was considering the cases of nine elite Russian athletes accused of doping. According to the report, the Russian television rights to broadcast the 2013 World Championships, held in Moscow, suddenly increased from $6 million to $25 million around the same time the IAAF was considering the cases of nine elite Russian athletes accused of doping.
The report also detailed meetings between Diack and top IAAF lawyer Huw Roberts regarding those Russian athletes as the 2013 worlds approached. When Roberts asked how Diack intended to resolve the cases, the ex-IAAF president explained he was “in a difficult position that could only be resolved by President Putin of Russia with whom he had struck up a friendship.”The report also detailed meetings between Diack and top IAAF lawyer Huw Roberts regarding those Russian athletes as the 2013 worlds approached. When Roberts asked how Diack intended to resolve the cases, the ex-IAAF president explained he was “in a difficult position that could only be resolved by President Putin of Russia with whom he had struck up a friendship.”
The nine athletes in question, according to the report, were barred from competing in Moscow but were not given additional punishments. Roberts resigned in January 2014 after questions were first raised about his handling of that case.The nine athletes in question, according to the report, were barred from competing in Moscow but were not given additional punishments. Roberts resigned in January 2014 after questions were first raised about his handling of that case.
Diack, meantime, is facing corruption and extortion charges in France alleging he pocketed more than 1 million Euros to cover up doping allegations, and last week, Diack’s son, former marketing chief Papa Massata Diack, received a lifetime ban by the IAAF for his role in the alleged extortion case. Also receiving lifetime bans were the former president of Russia’s track federation and its top distance-running and race-walking coach.Diack, meantime, is facing corruption and extortion charges in France alleging he pocketed more than 1 million Euros to cover up doping allegations, and last week, Diack’s son, former marketing chief Papa Massata Diack, received a lifetime ban by the IAAF for his role in the alleged extortion case. Also receiving lifetime bans were the former president of Russia’s track federation and its top distance-running and race-walking coach.
The latest revelations from WADA’s independent commission — coming two months after the first part of the report exposed a vast and state-sponsored doping program within Russia’s track and field program, which, the report said, “sabotaged” the 2012 London Olympics — further deepened a scandal that shows no signs of bottoming out, even as another Summer Olympics draws near.The latest revelations from WADA’s independent commission — coming two months after the first part of the report exposed a vast and state-sponsored doping program within Russia’s track and field program, which, the report said, “sabotaged” the 2012 London Olympics — further deepened a scandal that shows no signs of bottoming out, even as another Summer Olympics draws near.
On Tuesday, the AP, citing leaked internal documents, reported the IAAF, track’s governing body, was aware as far back as 2009 of widespread doping among Russian athletes and considered cooperating with the Russians to hide its extent from the media and public. Among the AP report’s findings: IAAF officials believed up to 42 percent of elite Russian track athletes were doping in 2012.On Tuesday, the AP, citing leaked internal documents, reported the IAAF, track’s governing body, was aware as far back as 2009 of widespread doping among Russian athletes and considered cooperating with the Russians to hide its extent from the media and public. Among the AP report’s findings: IAAF officials believed up to 42 percent of elite Russian track athletes were doping in 2012.
The IAAF has denied much of the AP’s report, saying the sheer volume of Russian doping violations — in the wake of a new, sophisticated “blood-passport” testing program that began in 2009 — necessitated the consideration of different approach to doling out punishments, and that none of the proposed plans to hide certain violations was carried out.The IAAF has denied much of the AP’s report, saying the sheer volume of Russian doping violations — in the wake of a new, sophisticated “blood-passport” testing program that began in 2009 — necessitated the consideration of different approach to doling out punishments, and that none of the proposed plans to hide certain violations was carried out.
“The issue is simple: were all abnormal readings followed up? The answer is yes,” Coe, a former British Olympic gold medal winner in the 1,500 meters, told SkyNews on Wednesday. “Were sanctions imposed and made public? Yes. Was there a cover-up? No.”“The issue is simple: were all abnormal readings followed up? The answer is yes,” Coe, a former British Olympic gold medal winner in the 1,500 meters, told SkyNews on Wednesday. “Were sanctions imposed and made public? Yes. Was there a cover-up? No.”
[From November: WADA’s first report on doping][From November: WADA’s first report on doping]
These bombshells come as the calendar has turned to 2016, a Summer Olympic year, casting a shadow over the sport as preparations begin in earnest for the Rio de Janeiro Games in August. Following the first part of the WADA report in November, the IAAF suspended Russia’s program from international competition, an open-ended action that could jeopardize the country’s ability to compete in the 2016 Olympics.These bombshells come as the calendar has turned to 2016, a Summer Olympic year, casting a shadow over the sport as preparations begin in earnest for the Rio de Janeiro Games in August. Following the first part of the WADA report in November, the IAAF suspended Russia’s program from international competition, an open-ended action that could jeopardize the country’s ability to compete in the 2016 Olympics.
A five-person WADA taskforce has been meeting with Russian officials in Moscow this week, part of a process designed to get the Russian program cleaned up and in compliance with WADA policy in time to be reinstated ahead of the Rio Games. The IAAF has said such reinstatement would only come if certain strict conditions were met.A five-person WADA taskforce has been meeting with Russian officials in Moscow this week, part of a process designed to get the Russian program cleaned up and in compliance with WADA policy in time to be reinstated ahead of the Rio Games. The IAAF has said such reinstatement would only come if certain strict conditions were met.
WADA formed the independent commission in the wake of a December 2014 documentary by German television station ARD, “Top Secret Doping: How Russia Makes Its Winners,” that exposed the scope and degree of the Russian doping program.WADA formed the independent commission in the wake of a December 2014 documentary by German television station ARD, “Top Secret Doping: How Russia Makes Its Winners,” that exposed the scope and degree of the Russian doping program.
The ongoing doping scandal in track and field has underscored the fact performance-enhancing drugs, far from being an unsavory relic of the past, remains a scourge across the sports landscape. And how best to deal with it remains an ongoing debate. Earlier this week, Britain’s track and field federation, United Kingdom Athletics (UKA), published a “Manifesto For Clean Athletics” that proposed, among other things, effectively erasing the entire track and field record book – including all presumably untainted ones -- to usher in a new, “clean era” for the sport.The ongoing doping scandal in track and field has underscored the fact performance-enhancing drugs, far from being an unsavory relic of the past, remains a scourge across the sports landscape. And how best to deal with it remains an ongoing debate. Earlier this week, Britain’s track and field federation, United Kingdom Athletics (UKA), published a “Manifesto For Clean Athletics” that proposed, among other things, effectively erasing the entire track and field record book – including all presumably untainted ones -- to usher in a new, “clean era” for the sport.