Lamine Diack Fifth President of the International Association of Athletics Federations Date of Birth: 07.06.1933 Country: Senegal

1. Early Life and Athletic Career
2. Administrative Career and Rise to Prominence
3. International Athletics Federation Presidency
4. Corruption Accusations
5. Awards and Recognition

Early Life and Athletic Career

Lamine Diack was born in Senegal and developed a passion for sports from a young age. He excelled in football, playing for Foyer France Sénégal, and also competed in track and field, specializing in long jump. In 1958, he became the French long jump champion with a jump of 7.63 meters. The following year, he won the French university championship with a personal best of 7.72 meters.

Administrative Career and Rise to Prominence

Unfortunately, Diack suffered a knee injury that prevented him from competing at the 1960 Olympics. He transitioned to administrative roles, serving as the sports director of Senegal's football team from 1964 to 1968. In 1974, he became a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). From 1978 to 1993, he held positions within the Senegalese government. In 1985, Diack became the president of the Senegalese National Olympic Committee, a role he held until 2002.

International Athletics Federation Presidency

In 1999, Diack was elected president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) following the sudden death of Primo Nebiolo. He was re-elected as the sole candidate at the IAAF's 48th Congress in 2011.

Corruption Accusations

In 2015, Diack was accused of accepting bribes in exchange for covering up Russian doping violations. French prosecutors alleged that he received payments from the Russian Athletics Federation to conceal data on anti-doping rule breaches.

Awards and Recognition

Throughout his career, Diack received numerous accolades. He was awarded the French Legion of Honour, as well as government recognitions from countries such as Gabon, South Africa, Italy, Egypt, Senegal, Chile, Hungary, and the Central African Republic. He was also honored with the Olympic Order in Silver in 1990, the Ukrainian Order of Merit (First Class) in 2010, and the Russian Order of Friendship in 2011.