Athletics: ‘There was no IAAF cover-up,’ says Sebastian Coe
A second Wada report to be published on Thursday will shine further light on doping in Russian athletics, but president says the governing body has nothing to hide
Embattled IAAF president Sebastian Coe has insisted that his organisation did not cover up positive drugs tests by Russian athletes, in television interviews aired on Wednesday.
Claims have emerged that the IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) was aware of illegal and dangerous levels of doping in Russian athletics as far back as 2009.
A second report by a World Anti-doping Agency (Wada) independent commission to be published on Thursday will shine further light on doping in Russian athletics, but Coe says that the IAAF has nothing to hide.
Were all abnormal readings followed up? The answer is yes. Were sanctions imposed and made public? Yes. Was there a cover-up? No
“I don't think it was a huge surprise that we were concerned about Russia,” he told Sky News. “The escalating number of positive tests that the IAAF Council commented on during my time was clearly a concern.
“But 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.”
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Its second report is expected to also focus on corruption at the highest levels of the IAAF.
