Lamine Diack – Ex Athletics Chief goes on trial
As corruption trial opens against the Former World Athletics’ Chief Lamine Diack, on Monday 8th June 2020, he was seen in a dark grey suit in a Paris courtroom.
Diack is charged with corruption and money laundering. Prosecutors alleged that he had solicited millions of dollars (3.45 million euros ($5,589,985) from suspected athletes to cover up one of the biggest Russian doping test scandal, which they believed he used part of to sponsor Macky Sall (The president of Senegal)’s 2012 presidential election campaign, which he won.
Lamine Diack is a Senegalese businessman, sports administrator, and former athlete. He was president of the International Association of Athletics Federations from 1999 to 2015
Diack, who turned 87 on Sunday, has denied wrongdoing. One of Diack’s lawyers, Simon Ndiaye, said that people were unfairly lashing out against his client and that accusations are baseless.
Diack, from Senegal, former president of the International Association of Athletics Federations ( IAAF), now renamed World Athletics, from 1999-2015 and was among the most influential men in the sport. He now lives under house arrest in Paris and if found guilty, could face a jail sentence of up to 10 years.
