The Lamine Diack trial will be delayed once again. This stinking, festering mess will take down more than just the Diacks. It continues to damage the sport that they claim to love. They allegedly took up to $50 million in kick backs, bribes and other types of largesse. The French authorities have apparently done their homework. As Liam Morgan of Inside the Games writes, this amazing legal circus continues to grow.
Oh, and do not discount the skills of this long jumper from Senegal. He is one of the toughest street fighters in global sports, and will take everyone down he can. No such thing as collateral damage. All damage is intended with the Diacks. This piece of theatre has just begun.
Lamine Diack, 13 Jan 2019, photo copyright by Getty Images
Diack trial delayed until June after prosecutors receive new documents
The trial of former International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) President Lamine Diack in Paris has been delayed until June after prosecutors received documents concerning testimony from his son and co-defendant Papa Massata Diack.
Diack, accused of corruption, influence-trafficking and money laundering in a case linked to the Russian doping scandal, will remain in France before the trial resumes after his lawyers’ request for him to return to Senegal was rejected.
The 86-year-old, who is alleged to have covered up positive drugs tests from Russian athletes, appeared at the Tribunal de Grand Instance de Paris for a trial which had been scheduled to run three days a week until January 23.
But the case, which could have far-reaching consequences for world sport, has now been adjourned after the national financial prosecutor’s office was handed documents relating to evidence given by Papa Massata Diack in November.
Prosecutors asked for more time to review the new evidence from Papa Massata, who did not appear at the trial as he refuses to be extradited from Senegal.
They said they received three folders of notes – which reportedly include testimony Papa Massata gave to investigators in Senegal – only hours before the start of the hearing in the French capital.
The dramatic twist postpones Diack’s eagerly-awaited trial, where he is standing alongside former advisor Habib Cisse and Gabriel Dolle – the former anti-doping chief at the IAAF, since rebranded as World Athletics.
Cisse and Dolle were also present at the hearing.
To read entire article, please go to: https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1089086/diack-trial-delayed-until-june
