Russian doping scandal: Lord Coe accused of misleading MPs about knowledge of anti-drugs scandal

Jesse Norman, chairman of the culture, media and sport select committee, has said the “jury is out” on whether he has confidence in the Conservative peer in his current role

IAAF president Lord Coe (Getty Images)

Lord Coe has been accused of misleading MPs over the extent of his knowledge of the anti-doping scandal which has paralysed athletics.

The BBC’s Panorama programme, in a joint investigation with the Daily Mail, alleges that Coe was sent an email outlining how a Russian marathon runner asked to pay £360,000 to cover up drug offences – a year before he told a Parliamentary select committee that he “was certainly not aware” of the allegations.

Liliya Shobukhova, 38, competed in the London Olympics in 2012 while Coe, the president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), received the email in 2014.

However, the two-time Olympic gold medallist told MPs at the culture, media and sport select committee the following year: “We were not aware - I was certainly not aware - of the specific allegations that have been made around the corruption of anti-doping processes in Russia.”

A spokesman for Coe has since admitted the 59-year-old received the email but forwarded it on to ethics officials without opening it.

It is also alleged that Coe won the presidency of the federation with assistance from ex-IAAF consultant Papa Massata Diack, now wanted by Interpol for his role in the doping scandal. Coe denies any wrongdoing.

Jesse Norman, chairman of the culture, media and sport select committee, has said the “jury is out” on whether he has confidence in the Conservative peer in his current role.

The IAAF are set to announce later this afternoon whether Russian track and field athletes will be banned for this summer’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro following allegations of state-sponsored doping.

John Coates, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice-president, has branded Russia’s interior anti-doping agency a “rotten to the core” as the athletics community attempts to repair the damage done to the sport’s reputation. This week Wada claimed 73 of 455 tests on athletes could not be collected, 436 tests were declined or cancelled, and a “significant number” were missed. 52 findings were considered to be adverse.