New Year, New Fate for Former IAAF Officials

(ATR) Decisionsare expected in Januaryby the IAAF Ethics Commission on the fate of former federation leaders suspected of doping cover-ups.

For three days this week in London the seven-member Ethics Commission heard the cases of Papa Massata Diack – son of former IAAF president Lamine Diack - former IAAF anti-doping director Gabriel Dolle, ex-Russian Athletics Federation president and IAAF treasurer Valentin Balakhnichev and Russia's former long-distance coach Alexey Melniko.

The four are accused of blackmailing Russian marathon runner Liliya Shobukhova, making her pay the officials to cover-up her failed doping test. Shobukhova says she paid nearly $600,000 in order to avoid a suspension.

Each of the officials could face lifetime bans if the ethics commission finds the extortion claims to be valid.

The ethics commission is lead by Michael Beloff, with Kevan Gosper, Akira Kawamura, Thomas Murray, Tafsir Ndiaye, Lauri Tarasti and Carlos Nuzman rounding out the panel.

Away from the IAAF ethics commission, Nuzman is known for his role leading the organizing committee for the Rio 2016 Olympics and is also a former IOC member along with Gosper.

While Massata Diack awaits the decision of the ethics commission, his father Lamine Diack awaits the outcome of the criminal investigation conducted by French authorities into allegations that Diack received bribes for the doping cover-ups. The former IAAF president is suspected of receiving more than $1 million.

The result of the investigation is also expected in January, along with the second part of the WADA Independent Commission report scheduled to be released on Jan. 14.

The first publication of the Independent Commission led to the suspension of the All-Russian Athletics Federation by the IAAF and the Russian Anti-Doping Agency losing its accreditation from WADA.

Independent Commission chair Richard Pound says he expects the newest report to cause an even bigger stir.

"When we release this information to the world there will be a ‘wow’ factor," says Pound. "I think people will say 'How on earth could this happen?' It's a complete betrayal of what the people in charge of the sport should be doing."

Written by KevinNutley

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