Doping scandal: Seb Coe’s IAAF council must have known about extent of cheating, new WADA report claims
The International Associations of Athletics Federation (IAAF) has been accused of being aware of doping in its sport in another bombshell report from the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada).
In the second part of its report into the doping scandal currently engulfing athletics Wada claims that "corruption was imbedded" at the IAAF and argues its ruling council "could not have been unaware of the extent of doping in athletics" and its subsequent cover-ups.
The athletics governing body's reputation was damaged last November by Wada's initial report which revealed the shocking extent of doping in Russian athletics – knowledge of which was denied by the IAAF.
Those claims have been now rubbished by Wada's latest report which states: "The corruption was embedded in the organisation. It cannot be ignored or dismissed as attributable to the odd renegade acting on his own.
"The IAAF allowed the conduct to occur and must accept its responsibility. Continued denial will simply make it more difficult to make genuine progress."
IAAF Council president Lord Coe, already under pressure, now faces intense questioning as to whether he is the right man to clean up the sport.
However, Wada chief investigator Dick Pound said the man who headed the organisation of the Olympics was still the right man to lead the IAAF.
"We have not descended to any individual athletes or sports official", said Pound.
"It's a fabulous opportunity for the IAAF to seize the opportunity and move forward. I can't think of anyone better than Lord Coe to lead that."