'These are dark days for our sport but I’m more determined than ever to rebuild the trust in our sport. It is not going to be a short journey.'
These are the words coined by newly appointed federation president Sebastian Coe ahead of the release an independent report into a number of doping allegations against Russian athletes.
IAAF chief Sebastian Coe has labelled as "abhorrent" allegations of doping bribery within athletics. #IPL8 #PepsiIPL pic.twitter.com/CCqveh31YP
— Pepsi IPL 9 (@IPLNine_) November 8, 2015
But despite the compromising affect these findings could have on athletics, Coe is convinced that redemption is still a possibility. The report, which will be published by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) on Monday, has been described as a 'game-changeer' and is expected to have a considerable impact across the world of athletics.
Coe succeeded Lamine Diack as head of the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) in August, during which, Diack was subjected to an investigation by French authorities over the alleged payment of more than one million euros to cover up doping offences by Russian athletes.
WADA report on doping, cover-ups in the IAAF is due tomorrow.This "preview" hints at some earth-shifting revelations pic.twitter.com/mt6CxHrXnm
— Ross Tucker (@Scienceofsport) November 8, 2015
Four men including Diack's son, were hit with disciplinary action by the IAAF's ethics commission. Coe however, remains optomistic. Speaking on BBC Five Live's Sportsweek programme, he said:
'The day after I got elected, I started a massive review. Understandably, in the light of the allegations that have been made, that review has been accelerated and I am determined to rebuild and repair the sport with my colleagues. But this is a long road to redemption.'
Ex-IAAF president Lamine Diack under investigation for corruption & ex-IAAF anti-doping head Gabriel Dolle arrested https://t.co/qt0ws1R61x
— Sean Ingle (@seaningle) November 4, 2015
It is not yet known if nations other than Russia, will be exposed in the report. The president is confident thought, that only a few countries will be mentioned.
We do know we are taking a disproportionate amount of damage from a relatively few number of nations out there. The answer is we will wait — I don’t know. It may well.'
Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!
Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
