IOC president Thomas Bach has formally requested Senegal cooperates with French judicial authorities investigating corruption at the heart of international athletics, sources have told AFP.
Investigators are particularly keen that Papa Massa Diack, son of the former IAAF president Lamine Diack and himself a powerful marketing advisor to the federation, should answer questions.
In a letter seen by AFP sent to the Senegalese President Macky Sall on 16 November, Bach said that investigating magistrate Renaud van Ruymbeke “told us of the difficulties he has come up against in the execution of the two investigation letters addressed to the Minister of Justice of Senegal”.
“The commitment of your government (…) would be particularly appreciated,” added Bach, who asked that action be taken as quickly as possible.
Papa Massa Diack – known as PMD – is suspected of having received several million euros of bribes, either for sponsorship contracts or to favour the Rio and Tokyo nominations for the 2016 and 2020 Olympics.
PMD has been on Interpol’s most wanted list since December 2015 but is sheltering in Dakar as the Senegalese government refuses to extradite him to France.
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