Following an application by the Athletics Integrity Unit{AIU}, the chairman of the IAAF Disciplinary Tribunal, Micheal Beloff QC, has on 17th July 2017 imposed an order for Provisional Suspension of IAAF Council Member Frank Fredricks pending investigation of a potential breach of the IAAF Code Of Ethics.
Many athletics observers are wondering whether this case is another case of witch-hunting or internal IAAF politics or a real sincere case?
The hornet net of the case was first stirred by a mere journalistic investigation spear- headed by a French news paper called Le Monde. It was published that a certain payment{$300,000} was paid to Frank Fredricks’ offshore company called “Yemi” Limited by disgraced Papa Massata Diack’s company called Pamodz Sports Consulting on 2nd of Octomber 2009; the date of the IOC vote which awarded Olympics 2016 to Rio de Janeiro.
Mr Frank Fredricks voluntarily step aside after the allegation on 1st of June 2017. He denied any wrong doing. Gave a defence of collecting the said amout as a overdue payment for a contract{IAAF marketing programme and Africa Athletics events} he executed for Diack’s company on 11 March 2007 but which was not paid until persistent pressure was put on him before it was then paid on 2 Octomber 2009.
The IAAF Disciplinary Tribunal did not believe his defence; because the Frank Fredricks email correspondence between him and Papa Diack in 2007 relating to the conclusion of the contract but no emails between them nor any communications in which{prior to payment of $300,000 in Octomber 2009}pushing for the payment. Therefore, he was found to have breach articles A7, A8 and A10 of the 2003-2012 code of ethics and that the following warrant investication:
-
The reason for the payment
-
Whether the payment was a legitimate payment for proper service rendered.
-
Whether there was any connection between the payment and the IOC vote to award the 2016 summer Olympics to Rio de Janeiro.
