Diack's son questioned over Russia doping cover-up

DAKAR

Papa Massata Diack, the son of former world athletics supremo Lamine Diack, has been questioned in his native Senegal about accusations he and his father covered up Russian doping for payment, a source told AFP Wednesday.

Papa Massata Diack, who handled valuable marketing rights for the International Association of Athletics Associations (IAAF), "was questioned yesterday by an investigating magistrate as part of a local investigation", the source, who is close to the case, said.

Senegalese authorities made no official comment about the questioning, which took place on Tuesday.

French prosecutors accuse the Diacks of being at the heart of a web of corruption.

The investigations by the French Financial Prosecutor's Office include allegations that Lamine Diack, who was IAAF president between 1999 and 2015, obtained Russian funds for political campaigns in Senegal, in exchange for the IAAF's anti-doping arm covering up Russian offences.

Papa Massata Diack, known as PMD, is accused of playing a "central role" in the network of corruption and is charged in France with "money laundering", "giving bribes" and "aiding the receiving of bribes".

Senegal opened a parallel investigation into the accusations in 2016. PMD denies the accusations.

French authorities have said the trial of PMD and his father will start on January 13.

However PMD has refused to leave Senegal and despite two international arrest warrants issued by France the Senegalese authorities have said they will not extradite him.

Russia was banned from competing in several international competitions over state-sponsored doping between 2011 and 2015. Despite being reinstated by other sports federations, Russia is still banned from competing as a nation by the IAAF.