Fredericks involved in 2016 Rio Games row

IAAF Council member Frankie Fredericks is being investigated for accepting payments before the awarding of the 2016 Olympics to Rio.

Frank Fredericks will stay on the IAAF Council while an ethics board reviews allegations he accepted payments before the awarding of the 2016 Olympics to Rio.

IAAF head Sebastian Coe said Fredericks would remain a member of the council while the ethics board determines if an investigation is necessary.

Fredericks, an International Olympic Committee member, stepped down two weeks ago as head of the team evaluating bids to host the 2024 Olympics and has also removed himself from the IAAF task force looking into doping in Russia.

"We are speaking with Frank; he has stepped aside from the Russian task force so he has stepped aside from his functions within the council," Coe told Reuters following a presentation at the Leaders Sport Business Summit on Tuesday.

Doping and votes-for-pay controversies continue to haunt athletics as Coe desperately tries to push away the dark clouds by implementing reforms he hopes will put the spotlight back on the track.

Asked if he believed other IAAF council members could be caught up in the scandal, Coe said he had no idea.

"We are just getting on with delivering sport," said Coe. "We are the subject of scrutiny and investigation but I can't give you any insight into that at all."

French prosecutors are investigating whether bribery was involved in the awarding of the 2021 world athletics championships to the US city of Eugene and are also looking into several other host city decisions.

Despite the distractions Coe told an audience of influential sports business people he remains focused on restoring confidence and trust in athletics and returning the sport to its former glory.


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Source: AAP



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