Sebastian Coe faces next test as Wada unveils explosive second corruption report
Embattled IAAF president faces the next test of his troubled reign with publication of what is expected to be an explosive report targeting corrupt ‘scumbags’
Embattled IAAF president Sebastian Coe faces the next test of his troubled reign with publication on Thursday of what is expected to be an explosive report targeting corrupt “scumbags” and a leaked blood database.
The issue is simple: were all abnormal readings followed up? The answer is yes. Were sanctions imposed and made public? Yes. Was there a cover-up? No
The second report by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) independent commission is understood to include shocking revelations of endemic corruption within IAAF and leading athletics federations other than Russia, such as track powerhouses Kenya.
But Coe, who took over from disgraced Lamine Diack as president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) in August, has insisted his organisation had not covered up positive drugs tests by Russian athletes.
The first Wada report accused Russia of systematic state-sponsored doping and corruption, the IAAF promptly banning the country until it gets its house in order.
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But Coe was adamant that it was “not a huge surprise that we were concerned about Russia”.
“The issue is simple: were all abnormal readings followed up? The answer is yes. Were sanctions imposed and made public? Yes. Was there a cover-up? No,” Coe told Sky television on Wednesday.
