IAAF president Sebastian Coe admits leading ‘failed organisation’

Sebastian Coe has received crucial backing to remain as IAAF president despite another damning report on athletics’ doping scandal and admitting that he leads a “failed organisation”.

Coe also apologised for some “clumsy” responses to the crisis which has engulfed athletics after a new report by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA)’s independent commission identified serious failures in the IAAF.

The commission said the IAAF Council – which included Coe – “could not have been unaware of the extent of doping in athletics”. It stated Coe’s right-hand man Nick Davies, who stepped aside from his position as IAAF chief of staff last month, was “well aware of Russian ’skeletons’ in the cupboard”.