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TRIAL OF FORMER IAAF PRESIDENT LAMINE DIACK SET TO START ON JUNE 8

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The trial of former IAAF (International Association of Athletics Federations) President Lamine Diack, who has been accused of corruption, influence-trafficking and money laundering, has been moved back five days to June 8.

It was originally due to start in January, before being moved back to June 3.

French media are now reporting it is due to begin on June 8, one day after Diack’s 87th birthday, although the exact reason for the further delay is unknown.

Diack, who led the IAAF from 1999 to 2015, is charged with “giving and receiving bribes”, “breach of trust” and “organised money laundering” and is facing a potential 10-year prison sentence for allegedly taking bribes to cover up tests showing doping by 23 Russian athletes, as reported by France 24.

Papa Massata Diack is accused of profiting from the corruption system run by his father Lamine

Prosecutors allege Diack, who was arrested in November 2015, obtained $1.5 million (£1.2 million/€1.36 million) of Russian funds to help fund Macky Sall’s successful campaign for President of Senegal in 2012, in exchange for the IAAF’s anti-doping arm covering up offences by Russian athletes.

The trial will take place in Paris and is expected to last 10 days, as reported by L’Equipe.

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Papa Massata Diack, son of Lamine, is one of five other defendants in the case.

In their order for reference, the magistrates in charge of the investigation estimated that “Papa Massata Diack could only be enriched in considerable proportions to the prejudice of the IAAF with the constant and enlightened support of his father, who cannot leave the sole responsibility for it to his son.”

In the same document, judges say Diack “played an active role, abusing his quality as President of the institution, and effectively placed his son at the heart of the system put in place which enabled him to divert important upstream revenues from the IAAF funds.”

Four other defendants will also be tried in the case – Gabriel Dollé, former director of the IAAF’s medical and anti-doping department, Habib Cissé, lawyer and ex-legal advisor to Lamine Diack, Valentin Balakhnichev, ex-President of the Russian Athletics Federation (ARAF) and former treasurer and vice-president of the IAAF and Alexei Melnikov, former head coach of long distance races at ARAF.

Only Lamine Diack, Dollé and Cissé are expected to be present at the opening of the trial.

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Papa Diack, who lives in Senegal, is under an international arrest warrant issued on February 13 by French judicial authorities, while Balaknichev and Melnikov are also the subject of arrest warrants, however both the Senegalese and Russian Governments are refusing to extradite the accused.

The trial was originally due to begin on January 13 but was adjourned just hours before it was due to start after prosecutors asked for more time to review three folders worth of documents relating to evidence given by Papa Diack in November.

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Kunle Solaja is the author of landmark books on sports and journalism as well as being a multiple award-winning journalist and editor of long standing. He is easily Nigeria’s foremost soccer diarist and Africa's most capped FIFA World Cup journalist, having attended all FIFA World Cup finals from Italia ’90 to Qatar 2022. He was honoured at the Qatar 2022 World Cup by FIFA and AIPS.

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Athletics

James, Shambaz win Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10m Race

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BY DAPO SOTUMINU

Nigeria’s Francis James and Blessing Shambaz yesterday emerged winners of the 2nd Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Race to go home with the winners prize money of $1,000 in a race that was officially flagged off by the First  vice president of the Nigeria Olympic Committee, Chief Solomon Ogba, and supported by Mr. Nadin Khan, the president of the World Ultra Running.

James won the men’s race finishing at 30minutes 11seconds to beat all opponents to consolidate on his victory in Abuja when he finished second best in the half marathon held in the Federal Capital Territory middle of the year.

James also emerged the Nigeria’s winner of the World class half marathon.

It will be recalled that James at his last major race in Abuja finished second place in a national half marathon race. He stressed that he used that race to prepare for the Lotus Bank Abeokuta Race and he was very happy winning the race.

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He stressed that, the victory at Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10m Race has given him the confidence to do better in others races coming up in Nigeria and its an indication, that he’s very close to making history for Nigeria in subsequent marathon races. He added that, Nigerian runners will pull surprise in the others races not minding the attendance of the East Africans.

In second place for the men’s race  is Gyang Raymond at a time of 30 minutes 14 seconds. Gyang got $750 for his effort. While the third place winner is Gyang David Boyi at 30 minutes 54 seconds. Boyi got a cash prize of $500.

In the women 10km race, the runners up that placed second was Daylop Patience at a time of 36minutes 98.28seconds to keep her position in last year’s edition. She got $750.

Third place winner is Agofure Charity at 37minutes 88 seconds.She got $500.

The overall 10km also saw the race by special athletes.

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The route of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta Race wore a very active look this morning with the active presence of Febbs table water, a part sponsor of the event.

The volunteers on each points on the route all had Febbs Water on their hands ready to hand them over the runners. The organisers decorated all the runners that crossed the finish line with gold medals, this added to the fanfare and celebrations at the Alake Palace finish line of the race.

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Athletics

Diamond League raise 2025 prize money to over $9 million

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The Diamond League will increase its prize money to more than $9 million in 2025, the highest in the history of the series, the organisers have said.

Athletes will make a total of $18 million, with top athletes also receiving promotional fees. Male and female athletes will be paid at the same rate, the Diamond League said in a statement.

“The new total is almost a third higher than the sum paid during the pandemic-affected period of 2021-2024,” the statement said, adding that more will be invested in the athletes’ travel, transport, accommodation, medical and physio services.

Each of the 14 Diamond League meets of the 2025 regular season, scheduled to kick off in April, will award a total prize money of $500,000, with the final in August offering $2.24 million.

“The total prize money per discipline will be between $30,000 and $50,000 at the series meetings and between $60,000 and $100,000 at the final,” the statement added.

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The Diamond League’s 2024 season concluded in Brussels last week, with Zurich set to host the 2025 final.

The news comes after World Athletics ended a 128-year tradition by paying Olympic champions at the Paris Games $50,000 each and as rival track events try to muscle in on the circuit long seen as the standard-bearer for professional athletics.

Retired American sprinting great Michael Johnson’s Grand Slam Track will offer prize money ranging from $100,000 for the winner to $10,000 for the eighth-place finisher at each of four “slams” when the league launches next year.

It will distribute a total of $12.6 million in prize money in 2025.

“In a league of our own,” Grand Slam Track wrote in a post on X, opens new tab on Wednesday, with a breakdown of their prize money.

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-Reuters

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Athletics

Record 6000 runners register for 2nd Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Run

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A record 6,000 runners, local and international from across the African continent and Nigeria have registered for the second edition of the Lotus Bank Abeokuta 10km Run slated for September 28, 2024, as the organisers, Nilayo Sports Management Limited guns for a bronze label status for the race.

The Chief Operating Officer of Nilayo Sports Management Limited,  Ebidowie Oweifie, noted that the theme of this year’s edition of the Abeokuta 10km Race titled ‘For Greatness’ out is out to commemorate the birthday anniversary of the Egba paramount ruler, the Alake of Egbaland, Oba Adedotun Aremu Gbadebo 111, the 10km Run will flag off at Iyana Oloke at 6am and finish at The Alake Palace, Abeokuta.

Kenya’s Peter Nwaniki is the men’s race defending champion at a time of 28 minutes 14 seconds, while Shamila Kipsirir also of Kenya is the women’s defending champion.

Nigeria’s race men’s defending champion is Francis James at 31minutes 08seconds, while the women’s defending champion is Patience Daylop at 36 minutes 31 seconds.

The second edition of Abeokuta10km Race will be sponsored by Lotus Bank, FEBBS Premium Water, Fatgbems Petroleum Limited and Cash Token.

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