A senior British athletics official on Monday denied suggestions that he helped cover up Russian doping allegations two years ago, stating that he was merely "brainstorming strategies" to downplay negative news stories, according to Ben Bloom of the London TELEGRAPH. A French newspaper printed a "potentially damning email" sent in July '13 by IAAF Deputy General Secretary Nick Davies. Davies, who was appointed as right-hand man to IAAF President Sebastian Coe this autumn, sent the email to Papa Massata Diack -- "the son of disgraced former president Lamine Diack." It appears to show that Davies -- then acting as IAAF communications director -- "knew about the governing body covering up Russian doping and debated how best to reveal names of potential dopers without affecting the 2013 World Championships in Moscow which took place the following month." The email also appears to show Davies suggesting the use of CSM -- a sports marketing firm chaired by Coe -- to create an "unofficial PR campaign" to deal with negative stories in the build-up to the 2013 World Championships. Responding to the publication of the email, Davies insisted he had "no knowledge" of the IAAF failing to act on any doping cases in '13. Davies "also denied discussing the ideas with CSM." Meanwhile, three senior IAAF figures, including Lamine Diack, "are facing a criminal investigation into claims that they took bribes to cover up positive doping tests by Russian athletes" (TELEGRAPH, 12/21). In London, Sean Ingle reported Davies has "stepped aside from his position at athletics’ governing body and submitting himself to an investigation by the IAAF’s ethics commission." Davies made the decision "following the publication of an email in which he discussed a secret plan to delay naming Russian athletes involved in doping before the 2013 World Championships in Moscow." In a statement Davies said, "What has become apparent is that I have become the story. This is not helpful at the current time, with ongoing criminal investigations by the French police, the IAAF’s Ethics Board or WADA -- all of whom I have voluntarily offered full assistance to and will continue to do so. ... I have decided to step aside from my role with the IAAF until such time as the Ethics Board is able to review the matter properly and decide if I am responsible for any breach of the IAAF Code of Ethics" (GUARDIAN, 12/22).
NEW CHARGES: The AP reported French magistrates have filed new, tougher corruption charges against former IAAF President Lamine Diack "in connection with cover-ups of Russian doping." Diack had previously been accused of "passive corruption," on suspicion he took around €1M ($1.1M) to cover up positive drug tests by Russian athletes. An official with the Paris financial prosecutor’s office said that Diack is now accused of "active corruption," which generally involves offering money or other promises in exchange for violating a rule. The preliminary charges "allow magistrates more time to investigate before deciding whether to send a case to trial." The official said that the new preliminary charges center on suspicions that Diack bribed former IAAF Medical & Anti-Doping Dir Dr. Gabriel Dollé, "who is also under investigation, to delay reporting of violations by Russian athletes" (AP, 12/22).
