Four senior athletics officials were due to appear before the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) ethics commission in London yesterday, accused of covering up doping offenses.
The four officials, none of whom are expected to attend the private three-day hearing, include former IAAF consultant Papa Massata Diack, the son of former IAAF president Lamine Diack.
The others are former IAAF anti-doping director Gabriel Dolle, former Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF) president and IAAF treasurer Valentin Balakhnichev, and former ARAF long-distance athletics coach Alexei Melnikov.
The four men are charged with breaching the IAAF code of ethics and could face lifetime bans. A decision is expected early next month.
The hearing takes place against the backdrop of a French probe into allegations that high-ranking IAAF officials received bribes in return for concealing positive drugs tests by athletes.
Lamine Diack is accused of receiving more than 1 million euros ($1.1 million) in bribes, while Pape Massata Diack, Dolle and Balakhnichev are also under investigation.
The charges stem from claims by Russian runner-turned-whistle-blower Liliya Shobukhova, a former London marathon winner, that she paid about US$600,000 for doping violations to be covered up.
Shobukhova had a 38-month suspension reduced by seven months after she agreed to testify to the World Anti-doping Agency (WADA).
The ethics commission panel is to be chaired by Michael Beloff QC, a leading English barrister.
“A hearing has been fixed to take place in London [from Dec. 16 to Dec 18] to consider the cases against them, including their defenses and evidence to be provided by or on their behalf,” Beloff said in a statement last month.
“In accordance with the rules of the ethics commission, the hearing will be held in private,” he added.
The IAAF has banned Russia from international competition after a report by WADA’s independent commission found evidence of “state-sponsored doping.”
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