Lamine Diack, ex IAAF chief convicted of corruption, dies

Lamine Diack, the controversial long-time leader of track and field who was convicted of extorting money from athletes and accused of taking bribes in an Olympic hosting vote, has died, his family said Friday. He was 88.

Awa Diack, niece of the former International Olympic Committee member, told The Associated Press that "my uncle Lamine Diack passed away Thursday to Friday night."

Diack led track and field's governing body — then known as the IAAF, now World Athletics — for 16 years. But his name has become a byword for corruption in Olympic circles since 2015, as allegations of wrongdoing emerged soon after Diack's leadership of his sport ended. Diack died in his home country, Senegal, where he was allowed to return this year from France after being detained under house arrest for several years and then convicted of various corruption charges linked to abuses of his prominent positions in world sports.