Athletics Officials Appeal Life Bans

(ATR) Former Russian athletics chief Valentin Balakhnichev, coach Alexei Melnikov and former IAAF marketing consultant Papa Massata Diack have lodged appeals with the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

The CAS confirmed Monday that the trio had filed appeals against the IAAF life bans handed down on Jan. 7.

"Valentin Balakhnichev, former president of the All-Russia Athletic Federation (ARAF), Alexei Melnikov, former chief ARAF Coach for long distance walkers and runners, and Papa Massata Diack, former marketing consultant to the IAAF, all seek to have their life bans from involvement in the sport of track and field annulled," sports highest court said in a statement.

"CAS arbitration procedures are in progress. The CAS will not comment any further at this time."

The IAAF ethics commission said earlier this month that the son of former IAAF president Lamine Diack along with Balakhnichev and Melnikov "should be banned for life from any further involvement in any way in the sport of track and field; any lesser sanction would not meet the gravity of their offences". The three athletics officials deny wrongdoing.

The bans followed a World Anti-Doping Agency probe that revealed the trio’s role in a doping cover-up in Russian athletics, including extorting money from Russian marathon runner Liliya Shobukhova.

Earlier this month, IAAF president Sebastian Coe said the life bans "could not send a stronger message that those who attempt to corrupt or subvert the sport of athletics will be brought to justice".

Former IAAF chief Diack remains under criminal investigation in France over corruption and money-laundering allegations. He is suspected of pocketing more than $1 million to cover up positive drugs tests.

Reported by Mark Bisson

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