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World Athletics' Ex-Chief Lamine Diack Goes on Trial in Paris

Lisa Bryant

   PARIS - FormerWorldAthletics' ChiefLamineDiack was ina Paris
   courtroomMondayas a corruption trial opened against him. The case
   involvesaRussiandoping scandal.

   Eighty-seven-year-oldLamineDiackseemedrelaxedas he made his
   courtappearanceMonday, sporting a dark grey suit.Arguments in the case
   were originally due to start in January, but postponed when new
   documents containing testimony from hisson and co-defendant were
   submitted to the court.

   LamineDiackis theformer head of World Athletics- which was onceknown as
   the IAAF.As head oftheIAAFfrom1999to2015, Diack was once one of the
   most powerful figures in world athletics. Today,helives underhouse
   arrest in Paris, charged with corruption and money laundering.

   ProsecutorsallegeDiacksolicited millions of dollars to cover up Russian
   doping tests. Some of the money allegedly went to finance Macky Sall's
   2012 presidential campaign in Senegal. Sall won the election.

   If found guilty, Diack faces up to 10 yearsin prison.

   Diack denies wrongdoing. The trial is being held inParisas the alleged
   money-laundering happenedon French soil.

   One of Diack's lawyers, Simon Ndiaye, told reporters that people were
   unfairly lashing out against his clientwithout any precise elements to
   back up their accusations. Ndiaye said Diack's accusers have forgotten
   others surrounding the ex-chief. His client's only concern, Ndiaye
   said,was to defend the IAAF and preserve its financial resources.

   One of Diack's sons, PapaMassataDiack, also faces corruption among
   other charges. He remains in Senegal, which has refused to extradite
   him, and will be tried in absentia. Four others are also on trial.

   Briton Sebastian Coe replaced Diack as the association's head. He is
   trying to rebuild trust inathletics andhas introduced changes in
   howsport is governed.

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