No Party for the New IAAF President

(ATR)In his first big steps at the helm of world athletics, Sebastian Coe is taking action as corruption allegations swirl around the sport and his predecessor Lamine Diack.

Coe, who took over from Diack in August, is now forced to guide the IAAF in crisis mode following the arrest and inquisition of Diack by French police this week. He is under suspicion of corruption, receiving bribes to conceal positive doping tests while he was president.

Diack, 82, is free on bail and ordered not to leave France. An IOC Ethics inquiry is also underway as Diack is an honorary IOC member.

Coe will likely taste more dirt in this saga Monday when an independent commission formed by the World Anti Doping Agency delivers its report on whether widespread doping in athletics has been kept secret through bribes and other corrupt practices. The commission, led by Richard Pound, WADA's first president and IOC member in Canada, will release its findings on line and at a press conference in Geneva.

In a statement issued late Friday from IAAF headquarters in Monaco, Coe said he is hoping to amend statutes of the IAAF Code of Ethics to allow the IAAF Ethics Board to acknowledge proceedings taking place without divulging details. Coe wants to remove the vail of secrecy surrounding the ethics board as the panel could soon be in the midst of a number of cases arising from the suspicions about Diack or cases arising from the WADA report. Coe will seek the changes at the IAAF Council meeting at the end of the month.

Coe also announced he is almost ready to unveil a new look for the operation of the federation.

"Central to my presidential manifesto was a commitment that in my first 100 days of office I would carry out a thorough review at IAAF HQ," Coe said in the statement. "This modernization process is nearing conclusion.

"The proposals will deliver IAAF a template for best practice, as a member federation and athlete-focused organisation with the safeguards of robust constitution and corporate governances."

Coe's work on anti-doping initiatives includes the formation of an independent panel to review "all doping and integrity-related violations committed by international-level athletes and their support personnel," IAAF said.

"In parallel, a review of the existing organisational design and internal reporting structures has been undertaken.

"An international firm of independent accountants are being engaged to undertake a thorough review of operational and financial controls with a view to identifying any weaknesses and to make recommendations for improvements to ensure that IAAF operates an internal control environment that is best-in-class."

IAAF leaders added, "These proposals, together with a thorough review of the IAAF's management structures and policies which have taken place over the last 10 weeks, will be presented for the approval of IAAF Council which meets for its traditional autumnal session on 26 and 27 November in Monaco."

No Party for Athletics

The annual World Athletics Awards Gala fell victim to the IAAF corruption probe on Friday as well.

Coe decided to cancel the event following the arrest of Diack.

"Given the cloud that hangs over our association this is clearly not the time for the global athletics family to be gathering in celebration of our sport," Coe said.

"However, we will rightly still honor the outstanding achievements of the sport's athletes. The Athlete of the Year and other annual honors will still be awarded and will be promoted and announced on the internet and social media.

"IAAF will seek a suitable occasion in the future for the presentation of these awards to be made to the winners."

The World Athletics Gala, which was scheduled to take place on Nov. 28, is organized by the International Athletics Foundation.Diack remains the president of the IAF.

The event has been held annually since 1988 and honors the female and male Athlete of the Year.Winners of years past include Carl Lewis, Florence Griffith Joyner, Jonathan Edwards, Paula Radcliffe, Usain Bolt and Yelena Isinbayeva.

Bolt, a six-time Olympic gold medalist,is among athletes shortlisted for this year's award following his three gold medals at the 2015 IAAF World Championships.

Written by Ed Hula andNicole Bennett

Home page photo credit: Getty Images

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