Coe: I wish I’d done more to tackle doping

LORD COE has conceded that he could have done more to tackle the doping crisis in athletics when he was vice-president of the IAAF. The independent WADA commission will deliver the second part of its report into allegations of corruption at the world governing body and systemic doping in Munich today. It promises to be an uncomfortable day for Coe as there is expected to be more focus on Lamine Diack, the former president at the centre of a French criminal investigation who Coe described as athletics’ ‘spiritual leader’ when succeeding him. Coe pre-empted the Dick Pound-led WADA commission report by giving interviews to major broadcasters but snubbed the BBC, clearly due to their persistent questioning of how much he might have known about corruption that appears to include concealing positive tests after blackmailing athletes. Coe told ITV News yesterday it would have been difficult to intervene during his eight years as Diack’s deputy because of certain investigations already under way. But he said: ‘I wish we had reduced the walls. Should we have intervened earlier? Possibly, but it’s difficult to see how. As president I now am in a position to effect that change and I’m not going to pass up that chance.’ Emails emerged this week that make clear senior IAAF officials knew in 2009 that Russian doping was so serious that athletes’ lives were being put at risk. UK Athletics and the European Athletics Association said confidence in the sport was so low they should even consider ripping up the record books. Coe said he would look at the situation. ‘I have for a long time been concerned about

Under pressure: Coe some of those records,’ he added. Pound has said today’s report will have a ‘wow’ factor that suggests other countries could face a similar suspension to Russia. The report will give its verdict on data obtained by German broadcaster ARD and Coe denied failing to recognise how much athletics’ reputation had been damaged, telling CNN: ‘Don’t run away with the idea that I don’t know that these are dark days.’ Prosecutors will give an update on their investigation into Diack and other senior officials tomorrow.