World athletics’ governing body, the IAAF, on Friday cancelled its awards gala scheduled for November 28 and ordered tougher financial controls in the wake of a corruption scandal that has engulfed track and field.
“Given the cloud that hangs over our association this is clearly not the time for the global athletics family to be gathering in celebration of our sport,” said IAAF president Sebastian Coe.
Coe took over as head of the International Association of Athletics Federations from Lamine Diack, who was charged by French police on Wednesday with corruption over suspicions he took bribes to cover up doping cases.
Coe vowed a review of internal corporate governance, saying an international firm of independent accountants had been “engaged to undertake a thorough review of operational and financial controls with a view to identifying any weaknesses and to make recommendations for improvements to ensure that the IAAF operates an internal control environment that is best in class”.