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Disgraced former World Athletics president Lamine Diack (IAAF at the time), will stand trial in Paris, France starting June 8, 2020.
He is accused of corruption, influence-trafficking and money laundering.
The Senegalese native was extradited to France for the trial. His son Papa Massata Diack who also faces charges remains in Senegal.
The prosecutors claim that the elder Diack in November 2015 obtained $1.5-million from Russia to help fund Mack Salt’s successful presidential campaign in Senegal back in 2012. This took place apparently in exchange for the IAAF to cover-up doping offences allegedly committed by the Russians.
Diack was president from 1999 to 2015. He is alleged to have given and taken bribes, breaching trust and money laundering.
Apparently, the 87-year-old could face up to 10 years in prison.
A total of five defendants will be tried: Papa Massata, Gabriel Dollé, former director of the IAAF’s anti-doping department, Valentin Balakhnichev, former president of the Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF), Habib Cissé, former legal advisor to Lamine Diack and former treasurer and vice-president of the IAAF as well as Alexei Melnikov, former head coach of at ARAF.
