Martyn Rooney hits out at Sebastian Coe’s ‘naive’ comments over athletics doping scandal

IAAF president Sebastian Coe has been accused of being "disrespectful" amid claims he did not know about the unfolding doping scandal suring his time as the organisation's vice-president. Frank AugsteShow more

London // Sebastian Coe has been accused of making “naive” comments about doping in athletics that raise questions over whether he is the right person to lead a clean up of the sport, according to British World Championships captain Martyn Rooney.

British middle-distance great Coe, the recently elected president of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), will chair a conference call meeting of the global governing body’s council on Friday which could see Russia suspended from track and field competition and ultimately the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

Russia finds itself facing athletics exile after a damning report released this week by an independent commission set up by the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) accused the country of systematic “state-sponsored” doping.

Coe described Lamine Diack, his predecessor as IAAF president, as his “spiritual leader”, only for the 82-year-old Senegalese to be arrested by French police over claims he took US$1.1 million (Dh4m) in bribes to cover up positive drug tests.

Earlier this week, Coe, a 1,500 metres gold medallist for Britain at both the 1980 and 1984 Olympic Games, said he was “completely shocked” by the Wada allegations against the Russian Athletics Federation and added that “rogue elements” may have infiltrated the IAAF.

But Rooney, who helped Great Britain’s men win a bronze medal in the 4x400 metres relay at Beijing in August, questioned how Coe, Diack’s vice-president for eight years, could claim ignorance of the workings of the IAAF.

“It is pretty disrespectful to believe the vice-president did not know what was going on within IAAF,” Rooney told the BBC. “That is his job and if he believes he did not know what was going on he has not been doing his job properly.

“Lord Coe is an icon for British athletes and has inspired generations but I felt he was a bit naive with his comments post the report.

“I want to believe he is the right person for the job ... It is just whether it is the best thing for athletics to have someone who was involved in the IAAF at that period still involved at the turnaround.”

Meanwhile, a committee of British lawmakers confirmed it would hear evidence from Coe on December 2 to answer questions on how athletics was handling this latest doping scandal.

Jesse Norman, chairman of the House of Commons’ culture, media and sport select committee, said in a statement: “I am delighted that we have been able to arrange a date for Lord Coe to appear before the committee.

“Recent events have further underlined the seriousness of the issues raised by blood-doping in sports, and the depth of public concern about them.”

Committee member Damian Collins, a campaigner against corruption in sporting bodies, has previously said he will ask Coe about his Nike ambassadorship, amid suggestions he should cut his ties with the US-based sportswear company because of possible conflicts of interest.

Nike sponsors the Oregon Project, an athletics training group whose coach, Alberto Salazar, has been accused of violating doping rules.

The group’s athletes include British distance star Mo Farah, the reigning Olympic and world champion at both 5,000 and 10,000m.

There is no suggestion that Farah, who also won double gold at the 2013 World Championships in Moscow, has violated anti-doping rules, although he came under pressure after it emerged he missed two drug tests in the lead-up to the London 2012 Olympics.

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