Share

Coe best placed to lead IAAF reforms

Munich - Under-fire IAAF president Sebastian Coe is the best person to reform athletics scandal-hit governing body, WADA independent commission chairman Dick Pound said Thursday.

"As far as the ability of Lord Coe to remain at the head of the IAAF, I think it's a fabulous opportunity for the IAAF to seize this opportunity and under strong leadership to move forward out of this," said Pound.

"There's an enormous amount of reputational recovery to do here and, descending to personalities, I can't think of anyone better than Lord Coe to lead that. So all out fingers are crossed in that respect."

Pound, the former WADA president, has written two reports chronicling rampant corruption by the IAAF to cover up doping cases.

Coe was effusive in his praise of former president Lamine Diack when he beat Sergey Bubka in an election to succeed the disgraced Senegalese in August.

But Pound said: "Always say something nice about your predecessor. I wouldn't build a gravestone on the basis of that alone.

"There's no way Coe could have known the extent of what Diack was up to."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
26% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1470 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2248 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE