99% athletes clean: Outgoing IAAF chief

Lamine Diack, the outgoing chief of world athletics governing body IAAF, has said a doping scandal in the sport has not been verified and he believed 99 percent athletes are clean.

Diack, after being besieged by questions on Thursday about doping scandal on IAAF press conference, expressed his hope in the beginning that media should set eyes on the upcoming World Championships starting on Saturday, instead of the scandal in which the <g data-gr-id="30">evidences</g> have not been proved. However, he indeed kept talking about the issue under the pressure from the press, reports Xinhua. “I do not intend to take control over the IAAF ethical committee which does not receive directions and orders from me,” Diack said in French.

“They have their own resources to launch the anti-doping work. Besides, IAAF hopes to cooperate with WADA. We’ll make investments to support their work.”

<g data-gr-id="33">Diack</g> said the anti-doping is always a tough work. “Rumour has it, 200 out of 3000 samples have been checked to be positive. I don’t believe that track and field <g data-gr-id="35">is</g> the sports item with higher doping possibilities,” said <g data-gr-id="34">Diack</g>. “If needed, IAAF would like to recheck the samples, including the ones on the last two Championships. I’d rather believe that 99 percent of the athletes are clean.”

<g data-gr-id="41">Diack</g> also mentioned his son who has once been charged for doping issue. “I did not intend to resist releasing the related information. IAAF is now experiencing some crisis and I need to end those wrong charges. “Some say IAAF will bankrupt, but I don’t think so. The new president, Sebastian Coe, will handle these issues in his term. He will do better in coping with wrong 

charges. The IAAF will keep its own way of development,” said <g data-gr-id="42">Diack</g>.