One of the most influential men in world sport is on trial this Monday, June 8, before the 32nd correctional chamber of the Paris court. Former President of the International Athletics Federation (FIA), Lamine Diack, is suspected of corruption and money laundering in connection with a Russian doping scandal.

The National Financial Prosecutor's Office accuses him of having obtained 3.45 million euros from athletes suspected of doping in order to conceal the allegations and allow them to continue to participate in competitions, in particular at the London Olympics in 2012.

Lamine Diack, who turned 87 on Sunday, denies the accusations, which have been deemed "baseless" by his lawyers.

Senegal refuses to extradite Lamine Diack's son

Originally from Senegal, Lamine Diack led the International Athletics Federation from 1999 to 2015. He is under house arrest in Paris and faces a maximum prison sentence of 10 years.

The criminal trial was originally scheduled to start in January, but was postponed after new documents containing the testimony of her son and co-accused, Papa Massata Diack, were submitted to court.

Senegal refused to extradite Papa Massata Diack, who worked as a marketing consultant for the International Athletics Federation. He is also accused of money laundering, corruption and breach of trust, according to the indictment. He will therefore be tried in absentia.

The other accused are Habib Cissé, the former lawyer of Lamine Diack to the federation, Gabriel Dollé who supervised the doping tests within the federation, present in court, and two Russians, Valentin Balakhnitchev and Alexei Melnikov, respectively chief of the Athletics Federation of the country and athletics trainer at the time of the alleged doping concealment, absent.

With Reuters

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