An independent report has concluded the world athletics governing body has been riddled with corruption.
The World Anti-Doping Agency accuses the International Association of Athletics Federations and its past leaders of being aware of doping in Russia and of covering it up.
The investigation claims the IAAF's former president, Lamine Diack, organised conspiracy and corruption and sanctioned fraud and extortion.
Zara Zaher reports.
The scandal has rocked the world of athletics.
The sport's governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federations, is accused of being aware of drugs cheating in Russia but doing nothing to stop it.
That's the damning conclusion from a new report by investigator and former World Anti-Doping Agency chief, Dick Pound.
Mr Pound also blames the former head of Athletics, Lamine Diack, of organising and enabling corruption within the sport's governing body.
He suggests the IAAF Council must have been aware of the extent of doping within athletics.
"This started with the President. The President was elected four times by the congress. It then went to the Treasurer, elected by the congress. It then goes to the personal advisor of the President. It goes to the Director of the medical and anti-doping. I'm sorry, that affects the reputation of the IAAF."
But Mr Pound has backed the IAAF's current President, Sebastian Coe.
"But as far as the ability of Lord Coe to remain at the head of the IAAF, I think it is a fabulous opportunity for the IAAF to seize this opportunity, and under a strong leadership, to move forward out of this. There's an enormous amount of reputational recovery that has to occur here, and, if we're descending to personalities, I can't think of anyone better than Lord Coe to lead that."
Lord Coe, a former Olympian and British MP, joined the IAAF in 2007.
He accepts the Council should have been aware of the extent of the corruption but insists he's the right man to implement major reforms.
"The recommendations that are in Dick's report, we will absorb. I'm pleased to say that many of them are actually already being acted upon but there are some others in there that we will look very very closely at. We're not in denial. We know that this has been a cover-up. The delays were a cover-up. The athletes were ultimately sanctioned, and punished and out of competition but even four delays was too much and I accept this was a cover-up."
The CEO of Athletics Australia, Phil Jones, has told the ABC he supports Lord Coe's leadership.
"I think that Seb(astian) Coe is the right person to lead the organisation forward. I think his comments there reflect exactly and having spoken to him on a number of occasions, Seb Coe is as shocked as and concerned about the impact this has as anybody else. And if there is somebody to lead the organisation out of this then I think it's Seb Coe."
The 89-page WADA report calls Russia "a doping haven".
Russia was banned by the IAAF Council from international competition, including the Olympics, in November after another report by a WADA agency.
The former IAAF President, Lamine Diack, is now under investigation by French prosecutors.
He stepped down last year after 16 years leading the organisation.
French authorities are also investigating Mr Diack's legal adviser, Habib Cisse, and former IAAF anti-doping department head Gabriel Dolle.
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