A "sweeping reform package that changes how the scandal-hit governing body of world athletics operates was overwhelmingly passed" at a special Congress on Saturday, according to Gene Cherry of REUTERS. After Congress members voted 182 to 10 in favor of the reforms, IAAF President Sebastian Coe said, "This is a very important moment in the history of our sport. This is a ringing endorsement of our commitment to do things differently. We now have structures, frameworks and foundations that will create a safety net." The "Time for Change" proposals, the centerpiece of Coe's agenda for "moving the sport forward from its tainted past," established new independent anti-doping, integrity and disciplinary functions along with a "greater voice for athletes in the organization and more gender balance." The reforms "also place more governance power in the hands of the IAAF Executive Board." No major athletics country voted against the proposals "although Jamaica, the world's dominant sprint power, surprisingly did not vote." Saudi Arabia and a handful of African and Asian nations were notable among those casting "no" votes (REUTERS, 12/3).
STRIPPED DOWN: The AFP's Luke Phillips reported Coe's reforms, with a nod to disgraced predecessor Lamine Diack's abuse of the presidency, "include stripping himself of some powers, with the president and IAAF Council not allowed to serve more than 12 years and with more checks put in place." Coe said, "Too much power rested in the hands of too few people." The reforms also "push for gender balance, handing athletes a greater voice and crucially establishing an independent integrity unit that would manage all anti-doping matters and be responsible for greater intelligence gathering." Coe: "We're putting in place a framework that should have been there years ago." Coe told members that they should all feel "violated" given the amount of money that had been siphoned off instead of having been "used for the development of athletics" (AFP, 12/3). The BBC reported several Congress members "expressed concern" that there would be an open ballot where each member's vote was displayed on a screen and colored green for yes, pink for no or white for a failed vote. Asked why there had "not been a secret ballot on the day," Coe said, "Because we have moved into the world of transparency" (BBC, 12/4). The AFP reported Coe admitted that the reforms "had not been to everyone’s taste," all the while praising the "civilised discourse" and the "clarity and honesty of dialogue." He said, "The fundamental principles, I believe, have broad support" (AFP, 12/3).