IAAF boss Coe vows to 'rebuild trust' following damning WADA report into doping

Sebastian Coe has urged the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) council to start considering sanctions against Russia following the “alarming” World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) report published on Monday afternoon.

The report by WADA’s independent commission examined allegations of widespread doping among Russian athletes and cover-ups of that activity.

It identified ”systemic failures” within the IAAF and the Russian athletics federation (ARAF) that ”prevent or diminish the possibility of an effective anti-doping programme”.

WADA found the London 2012 Olympics were ”sabotaged” by the ”widespread inaction” against Russian athletes with suspicious doping profiles and has called on the IAAF to suspend Russia from competition.

IAAF president Coe said in a statement on Monday: “The information in WADA’s Independent Commissions Report is alarming.

“We need time to properly digest and understand the detailed findings included in the report. However, I have urged the Council to start the process of considering sanctions against ARAF.

“This step has not been taken lightly. Our athletes, partners and fans have my total assurance that where there are failures in our governance or our anti-doping programmes we will fix them.

“We will do whatever it takes to protect the clean athletes and rebuild trust in our sport. The IAAF will continue to offer the police authorities our full co-operation into their ongoing investigation.”

The IAAF statement added the sanctions to be considered ``could include provisional and full suspension and the removal of future IAAF events.''

Lamine Diack is currently veing investigated.

Coe – whose predecessor Lamine Diack is being investigated over an alleged payment of more than one million euros to cover up doping offences by Russian athletes – on Sunday described these as being “dark days” for athletics which he was determined to guide the sport through, down the “long road to redemption”.

His words were echoed on Monday by British sports minister Tracey Crouch, who wrote on her official Twitter account: “It is an extraordinarily dark day for athletics.”

It is an extraordinarily dark day for athletics

— Dame Tracey Crouch (@tracey_crouch) November 9, 2015

Meanwhile, Interpol released a statement which said it was to coordinate “a global investigation led by France into an alleged international corruption scam involving sports officials as well as athletes suspected of a doping cover-up.”

The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) also released a statement on Monday afternoon, praising the WADA commission for its work and giving its backing to the calls for Russia to be suspended.

It said: “USADA applauds the work of the WADA Independent Commission...in exposing a Russian effort to take over sport through unlawful means.

“The evidence released today demonstrates a shocking level of corruption and sends a clear message to Russia that they will not be allowed to cheat the world’s athletes and escape justice behind a wall of deception and lies.

“If Russia has created an organised scheme of state-supported doping, then they have no business being allowed to compete on the world stage.

“The world’s athletes deserve better, and all who love clean sport must rise up and confront this threat.

“We will continue to fight on behalf of all clean athletes to ensure that clear and decisive action is taken to sweep out anyone who has been involved with this scheme.”