Athletics doping crisis: Wada seeks probe into bidding processes for all World Championships since 2009

Report also raises questions about financial irregularities with regard to the bidding process for the 2020 Olympic Games

The Wada independent commission report set out to investigate Lamine Diack and other former leading IAAF officials (EPA)

The legality of the bidding process for every World Championship from 2009 onwards, including London 2017, needs to be investigated according to the World Anti-Doping Agency independent commission.

One of the three co-authors of the report, Canadian lawyer Richard McLaren, has called for a complete audit of how each Championship host was named up to and including Eugene in 2021.

The report also raised questions about financial irregularities with regard to the bidding process for the 2020 Olympic Games.

“We have information, we don’t have hard evidence,” said McLaren of the World Championships. “But it’s enough information that it bears serious investigation. It needs to be investigated: the process by which those decisions were made, who made them, why did they make them and why did other cities not get selected. There needs to be a complete audit of each of those decisions and processes from 2009 onwards.”

The investigation by the French financial prosecutor’s office into bribery and corruption by former International Association of Athletics Federations president Lamine Diack and other IAAF officials has said it is looking into whether there was any financial wrongdoing involved in the bidding process for major championships.

McLaren added: “We don’t know for sure. That’s why we want a further investigation. The police are pursuing that. They will have to go through financial records, documents, computer records, mobile phones. It’s in their hands.”

As for the 2020 Olympics the report read: “It is stated that Turkey [Istanbul had bid for the Games] lost Lamine Diack’s support because they did not pay sponsorship money of $4 to $5 million either to the Diamond League or IAAF.

“According to the transcript the Japanese did pay such a sum. The 2020 Games were awarded to Tokyo. The IC [independent commission] did not investigate this matter further for it was not within our remit.”

As IAAF president, Coe said he had already begun the process to check that everything was above board in the bidding processes. “Do remember the review I have ongoing is not just of our corporate governances, it’s of our sponsorship arrangements and all these issues,” he said.

“It’s not whether I’ve got the stomach for the fight, I’ve started it. It’s under review. And clearly the French prosecutors are looking at those processes. If anything untoward has happened then I will call them in, it’s very clear.”