Governance of Sport

37 Governance of Sport / Global Sports Impact Report 2016

GSI Report 2016 Governance of Sport

Sport hit the headlines in 2015, not so much for what happened on the field but for what happened off it. Never has the governance of sport been so much in the spotlight, and never have so many questions been asked of sport’s leadership.

Two of the largest sports in the world, soccer and athletics, were Meanwhile, an increase in cases of match-fixing threatened the faced with unprecedented scrutiny as national authorities and integrity of a variety of sports, led by soccer and tennis. investigative journalists uncovered layers of corruption within their organisations. What is ‘good governance’? How do we compare the governance of a variety of organisations, from national to In Fifa’s case the problems directly related to members of the international, small to large. How should we create an index executive committee of soccer’s world governing body and to compare Fifa with a federation like the World Flying Disc to allegations that they had illicitly profited from media rights Federation; and do we need to? deals, mainly in South America. How can sport govern itself and at the same time maintain its In athletics the problems centred around the discovery of credibility, given the corruption that has been witnessed in 2015 systemic state-supported doping in Russia. leading to the and 2016. Abuse of power is clearly prevalent in sport but just suspension of ARAF, the Russian athletics federation. To add how bad is it? Soccer and athletics have been in the spotlight, to the problems, it was alleged that Lamine Diack, the former but as the net widens how many other sports lack a transparent president of the IAAF, and his son, Papa Massata Diack, governance model? were involved in the extortion of money from athletes who We asked some of the leading experts in the area of sports had failed drugs tests. This set a new bar in the corruption governance what sport needs to do to regain its global credibility, allegations against the governing bodies of sport, implying and how it should address some of these fundamental issues so that they had knowingly allowed drug cheats to participate in that sport can continue to be self-regulating. major championships and win medals, ultimately affecting the outcome of results in their sport.

But governance issues affected not only soccer and athletics. SportAccord, the organisation set up to represent all international sports federations threatened to implode after its erstwhile president Marius Vizer launched a damning attack on the IOC and its president, Thomas Bach.

IAAF Athletics is no stranger to doping In July 2016, the IAAF finally announced scandals. From Ben Johnson, the a radical governance structure reform Canadian sprinter, failing a doping test programme, led by a reduction in the after the 1988 Seoul Olympics 100 powers of the president after former metres final through to Marion Jones, president Lamine Diack was implicated the US athlete, being stripped of her five in corruption relating to the Russian Olympic medals in 2007 athletics has doping scandal. always had its problems with doping. Other key proposed changes include But nothing could have prepared world confirmation that the annual IAAF athletics for the doping and corruption Congress is the highest authority of the scandal that was to erupt in 2015 and sport, a change in the composition of 2016. the executive board, a reduction in the number of vice-presidents from four to In 2015 the rumours and speculation two (one of each gender), elimination that have always surrounded athletics of the post of treasurer, a limit on the were transformed into concrete number of terms of office of three terms evidence of wide-scale doping in of four years for the president, council Russian athletics, thanks to the and executive board members, integrity whistleblowing activities of and eligibility checks on officials and an Yuliya Stepanova and her independent integrity unit to manage all husband Vitaly. doping and non-doping integrity matters.

The Stepanovas Sebastian Coe, the IAAF president, collaborated with ARD said: “Our reform proposals show how journalist Hajo Seppelt in seriously we want to grip the issues secretly taping athletes facing our sport and design a strong and coaches openly diverse and modern organisation which discussing doping in reflects the global reach of athletics. We Russian athletics. are not afraid to make tough decisions, we owe it to the athletes. Our discussion ARD, the German public- over the last two days have been honest service broadcaster, televised and robust.” Lamine Diack, the first in a series of exposes former president in December 2014 that alleged The proposals, the subject of a of IAAF corruption and systematic doping consultation process over the next six among Russian athletes and high- months, were due to be put to the vote ranking officials. at a Special Congress involving the IAAF’s more than 200 national member WADA, the World Anti-Doping Agency federations in early December 2016. reacted to these revelations by setting up a three-person independent commission that in November 2015 published a report that revealed a ‘state-supported’ doping programme which resulted in the suspension of ARAF, the Russian athletics federation, in December 2015, a suspension which was subsequently extended in June 2016, resulting in the threatened exclusion of the Russian athletics team from the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.

Men’s 100m final at Seoul 1988 summer Olympic Games

Russian athlete and whistleblower, Yuliya Stepanova

IAAF: doping and corruption scandal timeline November 2014 ARD claims new president in succession to disgraced to conduct testing in Russia during detection methods have uncovered Diack. RUSADA’s suspension. hundreds of new positive tests in September 2015 Coe says he fears February 2016 IAAF suspends Athletics athletics. “witch hunt” against clean athletes. Kenya CEO Isaac Mwangi, who faces December 2014 WADA pledges allegations of asking athletes for bribes November 2015 Lamine Diack revealed to investigate growing scandal over to reduce doping bans. to be under investigation by French allegations of a major doping cover-up authorities on corruption and money- March 2016 New ARD exposé claims in Russian sport. Whistleblower Vitaly laundering charges, under suspicion Russia is continuing to violate anti- Stepanov, a former Russian anti-doping of receiving payments from Russia to doping rules, despite seeking to have agency official, tells ARD that some conceal positive doping tests. Pound’s ARAF ban lifted. Pound accuses Russia Russian sports federations “would come independent commission recommends of “just changing deckchairs on the to [Russian] doping control officers” and suspension of ARAF for its part in ‘state- Titanic,” instead of genuinely seeking offer “extra cash” not to report positive supported’ doping scandal. Offences to address systemic doping in athletics. doping tests. Valentin Balakhnichev, include interference in doping controls, Russia’s Maria Sharapova, one of biggest president of Russian athletics federation cover-ups, destruction of samples and names in international sport, faces ban calls allegations “a pack of lies,” but payment of money to conceal positive from tennis after failing test for newly- temporarily steps down from post of doping tests, says commission. Report banned heart drug meldonium. treasurer and council member at the also identifies “systemic failures” at IAAF, “until this controversy is brought May 2016 Reports by New York Times IAAF that prevented an “effective” anti- to a close.” Papa Massata Diack, son and CBS’ 60 Minutes programme allege doping programme. WADA president of IAAF president Lamine Diack, steps that “dozens” of Russian athletes at 2014 Craig Reedie says report has provided down as consultant to IAAF following winter Olympics in Sochi, “including at “compelling evidence” of a scandal that accusations of financial impropriety. least 15 medal winners,” were part of is “certainly the most serious issue that WADA appoints commission chaired by state-run doping programme. Canada's the world anti-doping community has outspoken Canadian IOC member and Richard McLaren, a member of Pound’s had to deal with” in WADA’s lifetime. former WADA president Dick Pound, to independent commission, appointed But Russian sports minister Vitaly Mutko investigate allegations. by WADA as “independent person” says report is based on clandestine to investigate claims that anti-doping First-time doping intelligence collected in violation of February 2015 system at Sochi 2014 Olympics was offenders in sport face possible ban Russian law. WADA declares agency corrupted and subverted. of four years for first time, following RUSADA non-compliant with World Anti- changes to World Anti-Doping Code. Doping Code and suspends Moscow’s June 2016 IOC declares international Balakhnichev steps down as president anti-doping laboratory. federations responsible for deciding of ARAF, a post he has held since 1990, which Russian and Kenyan athletes December 2015 Russian court orders claiming: “This has not been a shameful will compete at Rio Olympics. Russian ARD to pay fine over “inaccuracies” in period.” IAAF appeals to CAS over parliament Duma says banning all documentary. Nick Davies steps down “selective” disqualification of results Russian athletes would be breach of as IAAF’s deputy general secretary over of six Russian athletes that have tested human rights. IAAF dismisses allegations claims he was involved in plot to delay positive for doping by Russian anti- linking Coe with corruption, made in a identification of Russian doping cheats doping agency RUSADA. BBC Panorama report. WADA report until after Moscow 2013 World Athletics claims that Russian anti-doping system New ARD documentary Championships, and to try to veil extent August 2015 during RUSADA suspension is subject alleges cover-up of doping results in of doping in Russian athletics. to evasion, intimidation and tampering. athletics involving 12,000 blood tests January 2016 IAAF bans Papa Massata Mutko implicated in covering up doping from about 5,000 athletes during the Diack, Balakhnichev and former coach in latest ARD documentary. Mutko says years 2001 to 2012. Documentary claims Alexei Melnikov for life from athletics for re-tested doping samples from 2008 one-third of medals (146, including 55 suppressing anti-doping violations and and 2012 Olympics should be scrapped gold medals) in endurance events at extorting money from Russian marathon after ‘B’ samples in at least three cases Olympics and World Championships runner Lilya Shobukhova. Gabriel Dollé, reported to have failed to confirm between 2001 and 2012 were won by former director of IAAF’s anti-doping positive re-tests for banned substances athletes who had recorded suspicious department, handed five-year ban. Coe in ‘A’ samples. Russian athletes among tests. None of these athletes had describes IAAF corruption as “totally those testing positive. WADA appoints been stripped of medals. IAAF slams abhorrent, and a gross betrayal of trust new investigations director as it battles allegations as “sensationalist and by those involved,” although critics conflict of interest claims and plans to confusing.” Sebastian Coe, a candidate claim that, as IAAF vice-president at the create ‘think tank’ after Rio Olympics to for the IAAF presidency, says that IAAF time, he must have known what was “look at how the anti-doping system can will “come out fighting” against what he happening. Pound says IAAF Council be more robust in light of corruption describes as “a declaration of war on my knew about cover-ups and delays but and integrity issues.” sport.” Independent commission’s terms Coe is still best man to lead recovery. of reference amended to take account WADA appoints UK Anti-Doping of new allegations. Coe elected IAAF

44 © and database right 2016 Sportcal Global Communications Ltd. All Rights Reserved July 2016 IAAF unveils radical Russian athletes seeking exemption governance reform proposals, including on Rio Olympic ban. Whistleblower reduction in president's powers. CAS Stepanova first to be cleared by IAAF to appointed to rule on eligibility of 68 compete.

Coe says he fears Lamine Diack revealed to “witch hunt” against be under investigation by clean athletes French authorities

September November 2015 2015

Russian court orders New ARD documentary ARD to pay fine over December August alleges cover-up of “inaccuracies” in 2015 2015 doping results in athletics documentary

January First-time doping 2016 February offenders in sport IAAF bans Papa Massata 2015 face possible ban Diack, Balakhnichev and of four years former coach Alexei Melnikov

February IAAF suspends Athletics 2016 Kenya CEO Isaac Mwangi Reports allege that “dozens” of Russian athletes at 2014 winter Olympics in Sochi were part of state-run doping programme WADA pledges to December investigate growing 2015 March scandal over 2016 May allegations 2016

New ARD exposé claims Russia is continuing to violate anti-doping rules

IOC declares international June federations responsible for 2015 deciding which Russian and Hundreds of new Kenyan athletes will compete November positive tests in at Rio Olympics 2015 athletics discovered

IAAF unveils radical governance reform July proposals 2016