Lamine Diack trial: ex-IAAF boss uneasy on “breach of trust”

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As the trial of the former president of the international athletics federation (IAAF) and his five co-defendants enters its second and last week, the court addressed this Monday, June 15, the “breach of trust” section. Which only concerns Lamine Diack and Papa Massata Diack, her son, former IAAF marketing advisor. 

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From our special correspondent at the Paris court, Laura Martel

For the accusation, Papa Massata Diack has granted himself millions of euros which should have returned to the IAAF, by taking exorbitant commissions or by imposing his companies as intermediaries in the negotiations with several sponsors. He is prosecuted for concealing the breach of trust with which Lamine Diack is accused of having placed his son in a position to make these alleged hijackings.

Civil party, the international athletics federation claims today more than 40 million euros. Asked about these contracts and financial arrangements, Lamine Diack seems uncomfortable. He multiplies the “ I don't know  ” or  “  I don't remember anymore  ”, even advancing: “  You know, I'm becoming an old nail  ”.

"  Anyway, Mr. Diack, didn't you have a problem with your son collecting the caps?" That at the same time that he was negotiating for the IAAF with a sponsor, he was hired as a consultant by the same sponsor?  Presses the president. "  In this case, that poses problem  ", he ends up recognizing. And slip, annoyed, to his lawyer: "  It's still a shame he did not come,  " referring to his co-accused of a refugee son in Dakar.

It is then up to the prosecutor to put Lamine Diack in difficulty: “  In 4 years, you have received 620,000 euros from Papa Massata Diack or his companies on your accounts in France, Monaco or Senegal. What do these sums correspond to? "

Silence.

"  I do not necessarily ask you for the details of the transfers but their reason  ", reminds the magistrate. "  I don't remember what it corresponds to,  " defends the octogenarian. "  But it's a huge sum ... We at least remember the amount!" Or is it not much for you ?!  Exclaims the prosecutor. Lamine Diack measures him but remains silent.

Role played by Papa Massata Diack

If he never responded to French justice, Papa Massata Diack was finally questioned in Senegal last November, in execution of a French letter rogatory in 2016. According to the president, Papa Massata Diack then refuted all the charges brought against him, starting with those of corruption.

Accused of having collected from one of his accounts in Singapore large sums taken from doped athletes in exchange for protection against sanctions, Papa Massata Diack defended himself thus: "  I won not far from $ 10 million in commissions on sponsorship and TV rights contracts. So I didn't have to ask the athletes to cover doping cases  . ”

He also denied paying bribes to members of the federation to turn a blind eye to the slowing of disciplinary proceedings against the Russians. And this, recalled the president, despite the mention of several remittances of money in an email he had sent to his father, in July 2013. These were "  suggestions  " that his father refused, he said. he explains.

In this email, there was also talk of the Senegalese electoral campaigns. Papa Massata Diack also mentioned there "  the political role played by Russia in the political combats  " of Lamine Diack "  in Senegal in 2012, presidential and legislative s".

During his hearing, however, Papa Massata Diack assured that he had "not  participated in any discussion with the Russians on the financing of electoral campaigns  ". He thus disputed having received 1.5 million dollars from Valentin Balakhnitchev, in return for the agreement made with Lamine Diack, contrary to what his father had said in police custody and which means that the three men were prosecuted for organized gang laundering.

Finally, Papa Massata Diack denied having appropriated millions of euros in IAAF revenue on sponsor contracts, a section in which father and son are accused of abuse and concealment of breach of trust and on which Lamine Diack therefore explained this Monday afternoon to the Paris Criminal Court.

► Also read: Lamine Diack trial: Russian involvement at the heart of the debates

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