BY TIM PARSONS
Britain can lead the world when it comes to integrity if it turns out that London’s successful bid to host the world championships in 2017 was done by the books.
French investigators are probing the process that led to UK’s emergence as winners among contenders to showcase the annual event, in light of charges of exploitation being levied against some highly placed Brits.
The World Anti-Doing Agency independent commission stated on Thursday that Diack junior ”held a contract to exploit marketing opportunities in emerging markets” including Brazil, Russia, India China, UAE, Quatar, South Korea, Mexico, Africa, and the Caribbean. The investigators will most likely study any connections between the Diacks and bidding cities from relating countries that may be relevant. However, organizers of the London 2017 World championships have confidently declared their innocence by welcoming the investigation process and stating that they have nothing to hide.
The probe is reminiscent of the investigation launched against FIFA last year in which up to football chiefs were snared and indicted for alleged systemic corruption spanning decades. The difference here is that no evidence of foul play has been claimed or presented, as it is all based on suspicion.
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Responding to the probe; Ed Warner, chairman of the organizing committee for 2017 said: “All I know is that London’s bid was completely by the book and through the front door in a classically British way. We have nothing to hide and we would be delighted to spend any amount of time going through our processes with the investigators if that helps root out any miscreants.”
DISCLOSURE OF EMAIL DOCUMENTS
Asked if he would be prepared to make all emails and documents available, Warner responded: “Absolutely,” adding: “It’s right that these things are fair battles and the right city wins for the good of the sport and nothing more.
The investigation is expected to focus on any involvement of the former International Association of Athletics Federations president Lamine Diack, who was succeeded by Lord Coe in August, and his son Papa Massata Diack – who was employed by the IAAF as a marketing consultant.
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The commission’s report categorically states that Diack junior “stood down as an IAAF marketing consultant in December 2014 due to allegations that he requested a payment of $5m during Doha’s failed bid for the 2017 World Athletic Championships”.
SPONSORSHIP
The fact the IAAF secured a number of major sponsors connected with the host cities has also raised serious questions about the deals that surrounded those sponsors in terms of corruption and money laundering. Samsung- a Korean electronics firm- pledged a huge unconfirmed sum in 2009, and Chinese petroleum giant Sinopec followed in 2010, with Russian bank VTB , signing a $25m dollar sponsorship deal in 2012.
Sponsorship by major companies for big sporting events is neither uncommon nor illegal, but the investigations are likely to focus on any involvement by Papa Massata Diack and Lamine Diack – who have both been charged with corruption and money laundering by French police – in the negotiations.
AUDITING
Members of the commission want a complete auditing of each of the decisions and processes from 2009 onwards in search of evidence. We hope for the sake of the integrity of this great country that everything is proven to be above board as has been claimed, so that Britain come out looking good and being a true leader in the department of integrity.
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